


The Crow that Raised a Dragon

by DropTheGrace



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Child Abandonment, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Minor Character Death, Neglect, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-05-17 00:14:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5846446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DropTheGrace/pseuds/DropTheGrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You're not going to be alone in this, Raven. I swear on my life, even if it all goes to shit, even if Tai wanted nothing to do with this baby, and Summer hated your existence for all eternity, your big brother's got you. This kid is gonna be so loved, he or she will be the one wishing they'd never been born."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

The pregnancy had never been easy, not from the start.

Slouched over in a plastic-upholstered chair in the maternity wing of a stuffy hospital, Qrow could only scowl in frustration; at the doctors, for refusing him entry to see his twin sister, to ease her worries; at the father of the soon-to-be-born baby, who had yet to arrive on the scene, being away on a last minute mission with the remaining female member of Team STRQ; and at the universe as a whole, for allowing such a fucked up turn of events at his family's expense.

Seven months ago, if he had known this was going to be the result...his tough as nails, pain in the ass twin sister, locked away from him, screaming in agony while giving birth to a child that he knew deep down neither of its parents had truly wished for, he might have offered her some different advice...

_**Several months before...** _

It was a rare occasion for his sister to visit him in his home, so when his raven haired twin did show up on his doorstep at some ungodly hour one October night, he knew something serious had to be off.

“Sister dearest, what brings you to my humble abode?” Qrow started teasingly, stepping aside to offer her entrance to his spacious apartment. Being one of the top ranking hunters in Vale afforded him a comfortable lifestyle, as was also the case with his teammates. Brushing past him, Raven fixed him with a side glance.

“Who's to say I didn't come over just to catch up with my beloved brother?” she offered.

At that, Qrow let loose an unflattering snort. “'Cause I know you better than anyone else, lil' sis. Nothing gets between you and your beauty sleep, not even me,” he shot, closing the front door. “Not that beauty sleep has ever seemed to do much to help, in your case,” he added, turning towards her, a mirthful smirk in place. That one earned him a not-so-harmless smack to the arm.

“Shut it. Twenty-three minutes hardly makes you older than me, Qrow. You still act like you're twelve.”

“Ah, but what a wonderful twenty-three minutes it was,” Qrow sighed dramatically, as if reminiscing on a tale of glorious victory. He made his way into the kitchen to start a pot of tea for the two of them. He wasn't much of a fan, but he kept it in the cabinet for the female members of his team, should they drop in much like tonight. He couldn't explain it, but between the sag in his sister's demeanor and a general feeling of dread, he just knew Raven was about to unload some serious shit on him. Twins were funny like that, sensing the other's emotional distress and whatnot.

The younger Branwen sibling took a seat at the small kitchen table. Looking at the wooden fixture that could seat only four comfortably, Raven marveled at what a miracle it was for her brother to own one at all. No doubt, it had been a forced purchase, thanks to their small cape-wearing teammate. 'Do you expect us to sit and eat on the tile when we're over here?' Summer had probably demanded, seeing as she always was the one insisting on regular team get togethers. Typically, Raven would just shake her head, smiling at her tiny friend's ferocious demands, but given the circumstances as of late, she couldn't help but scowl bitterly at the damned piece of furniture.

A few minutes of silence passed before the tea had been brewed. It wasn't exactly the awkward silence that made everyone in the room feel uncomfortable, but the kind that carried a negative energy, like the calm before the storm. Every so often, from the corner of his eye, Qrow would study his twin's expressions. That inexplicable feeling of concern hung heavier with each glance. Pouring the hot liquid into two separate containers, he finally offered Raven her portion, taking a seat adjacent to her with his own beverage.

“Alright, the suspense is killing me. Spill it, sister,” Qrow demanded casually, leaning back in his seat.

Raven stared blankly down at her cup, up to her sibling, then back down, before taking a small sip and closing her eyes. With her cup placed firmly on the tabletop again, she opened her eyes back up, staring intensely into a mirroring pair of ruby reds.

“I'm six and half weeks pregnant.”

If Qrow had been unfortunate enough to be drinking in that moment, no doubt he would've done a cartoon-style spit take. Instead, he merely deadpanned,”Please, tell me this is your horrific attempt at a prank.”

Raven's eyes narrowed dangerously. Right. She definitely wasn't the funny twin. As much as he willed it to be, this was no joke.

“I'll kill him.”

An annoyed look flitted across Raven's pointed features. “And why, may I ask, would you feel the need to do something so pig-headed?”

Qrow frowned. “He may be my best friend, Raven, but he's an idiot if he thinks he can just knock my baby sister up and expect me not to kick his ass. I know you two have been off and on for months, but it doesn't excuse anything.”

True enough, his burly teammate, Taiyang Xiao Long, and his sister had somewhat of a hectic romantic history. He could tell from the moment their team had been assembled in that god forsaken Emerald forest, Taiyang had eyes for his twin. Initially, this knowledge led to discord between the two hunters. Even back then, Raven was less than pleased with her brother's efforts in protecting her, and even less impressed with the blonde brawler's feeble attempts at winning her affections. Finally deciding he had nothing to worry about, that Raven could handle herself, Qrow came to accept Tai as his brother in arms and closest friend over time.

It wasn't until recently, probably a little over a year ago, that his worries rose up yet again. To the outside world, his sister was an enigma, ironically part of what won her the unwanted attention of half the population at Beacon. But to him, she was almost an open book...almost. Qrow began to pick up on the indicators: prolonged eye contact, taking up partner missions together, unprecedented concern over one another's well-being in the heat of battle. Somewhere down the wonky line his team had traveled over the years, Raven had fallen for Taiyang. Eventually, he backed the two of them into a corner, forcing each other to admit to him what he had suspected for quite a while; they were a thing. Neither would call it dating, Raven had vehemently opposed the term, in fact. She insisted it was nothing serious, disregarding the look of hurt that Tai sported. That had only been the beginning of the downward spiral for the two.

“I don't need you meddling with my affairs, Qrow,” she continued. “I'm not telling you this so you can go 'defend my virtue' or whatever else idea your testosterone filled brain is jumping at. A decision has to be made and I need your advice.”

It was Qrow's turn to narrow his eyes at his sister. “Decision?” He inquired. “Raven, don't tell me y'all are considering giving up this baby.” At the mention of the word “y'all”, Raven cast him an unreadable look. Never a good sign from her. “Tai doesn't know yet...does he?” The worry began to set in. Surely, Raven wasn't so callous she would...

“No, and depending on the outcome of this conversation, he may never have to.”

Of _fucking_ course she would. Qrow sat forward, resting his forearms on the table, fully intent on duking it out verbally with his headache of a sister. When he spoke, his voice was low but firm, “Raven, tell him. Before you do anything, goddammit. Tell. Him.”

Raven's eyes flashed daringly. “And what if he decides he doesn't want to get rid of it? What then? I'm just stuck having the baby of a man who doesn't love me? I have more pride than that!”

And suddenly, it all made sense; the reason for her and Tai's recent falling out, her embittered treatment of their remaining female team member these past few weeks, her refusal to follow through with this new predicament. Raven knew...

“Surely, you've figured it out, too, big brother. Tai's in love with Summer...and I've always known she feels the same. She has since our first year at the academy. They think they're doing me a favor by hiding it but...I...It's only a matter of...”

Qrow gave the young woman credit for her effort, trying so desperately to maintain her iron exterior, but she couldn't hide the hurt creeping up in her words from him. Like a proud bird suffering from a injured wing, Taiyang had wounded his sister, whether she would admit it or not. Qrow felt it all, the pain, the anger, and the betrayal. Yes, he was fully aware of the sparks flying between Summer and Tai these days. His heart went out to her, but that feeling was currently overshadowed by anger. She was being petty, acting like a jealous school girl by keeping something as monumental as a baby from her ex-lover, and he intended on telling her so. However, as if sensing the lecture she was about to receive, Raven spoke up again, successfully derailing her brother's train of thought.

“It's not _just_ about Taiyang and Summer...”

 _I would hope not_ , he thought. _You're better than that, sis._

“Go on,” Qrow urged.

Raven stared at her brother's face, her expression unreadable once again. “I won't allow the cycle to continue...Having this baby would only jeopardize my mission.”

Now that had been an dimwitted oversight on Qrow's part. Of course, he understood what 'cycle' his sister was referring to. He was one of the handful of people in the world who did, excluding both Taiyang and Summer. Qrow's knowledge of the truth had only spawned from his relation to the person involved, but he was grateful for it, nonetheless. Raven had been dealt a loaded hand in the game of life, inheriting the powers of one of the four fabled maidens, specifically the Summer maiden. Upon this discovery just a few months before her final year at Beacon, she had been taken aside and force fed her new duties, gargantuan expectations of greatness now placed upon her young shoulders. Physically, she was more than capable, being arguably the most naturally gifted fighter of her team. However, the burden weighed heavy on her mental state, and over the years, she had grown bitter, reluctant to carry on for a cause she no longer believed in. The way she saw it, she was being used; a pawn on their chessboard.

Qrow hated to admit it, but he knew she was right to feel the way she did. Her position as a maiden had slowly evolved from 'guardian' for humanity to 'lackey' for those who wished to control her. It enraged him to know his sister was suffering from what should have been a gift, but from that also spawned concern. She had confided in him not long ago that she would have no more of it, that she was not an object they could posses for their own selfish needs. Raven had an agenda, he could tell, but that was all he could pry from her. He didn't agree with the poor treatment of his family member, but he hoped she wouldn't act out in any way that would only result in more harm than good.

But what role did all of that play in her current mess?

“You know, you haven't exactly told me what your 'mission' is. What threat could a baby possibly pose to you?” Qrow fixed his eyes on his sister's, determined to catch any sort of reaction his words might evoke.

Raven drew her brows together tight, a frown set on her lips. “The powers of a maiden transfer to those we hold in the thoughts of our final moments. I can't have the kind of attachment that comes with motherhood in my life,” she explained, glancing downward at her hands, palms open and facing her. “Not if I don't want to damn any of my loved ones with this wretched curse.”

The way she had yet again dodged his mention of her mission did not go unnoticed by Qrow, but neither did the pure venom with which she spoke the word 'curse'.

He thought that might have been the end of it, that she had plead her case, so he immediately went to the offensive. “Raven, you can't-”

Her chair scraped loudly against the tile flooring as Raven stood up in her defense. “I'm scared, okay! I'm scared Tai will reject our child. I'm afraid I'll ruin his chance at happiness with Summer. I'm terrified that I'll wind up alone, with a baby neither of us ever planned on having. I'm terrified that I'll love it, that I'll doom it to a life of slavery after I'm dead!”

Qrow rose to his feet when he saw the tears well up in the corners of her eyes. There were very few times in their entire lives that he had seen his twin lose her composure. She hadn't even shed a tear when their mother died shortly after their eighteenth birthday. Maybe it was just the hormones, he didn't know how soon those things kicked in during a pregnancy, but to say she was experiencing an emotional breakdown was a vast understatement.

“Ray Ray...” he called to her, using his childhood nickname for his younger and only remaining family member. The tears had begun to flow. He side stepped the corner of the table, and enveloped his sister in a tight hug, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame, much like the way she used to hold him after he would have reoccurring nightmares during their earliest years.

She clutched onto him, returning his gesture with her own use of his childhood nickname. “I'm so...scared, Caw...”

The Branwen twins stood there for a few moments in perfect silence, save for the occasional sniffle from the younger of the two. They simply embraced one another, trading feelings of comfort, support, and understanding.

“Ray,” Qrow eventually spoke at low volume. Despite her face being buried in his shirt, he knew she would hear him just fine. “ I know how much you've been through. I know you want out of this gig more than anything in the world, and if I could do that for you, I would in a heartbeat. But you've spent so long focused on your hatred...don't you think it's time you let yourself be happy? This baby, having a family, a sense of normalcy, it could be your chance. Are you sure you want to just throw it all away because you're scared?” He hadn't meant that last bit to come off as harshly as it sounded, but if his sister took any offense, she didn't let on to it.

“But Tai...” her voice was small, muffled by Qrow's chest.

“...will be over the moon when you tell him, sis,” Qrow finished for her, having had enough of her excuses. He wasn't about to let his sister throw away her first shot at happiness since this entire maiden ordeal began. He continued, “Summer's gonna have your back, too. She always has. Your friendship is more important to her than a fling with a dumbass like Tai.”

Raven finally lifted her head, crimson eyes still wet with tears, but no longer laced with resentment, only fatigue. Qrow made a mental note to make sure he kept tabs on her health from here on out, both physical and mental. It would probably annoy her to no end, not that he had ever cared much about that in the past.

“You're not going to be alone in this, Raven. I swear on my life, even if it all goes to shit, even if Tai wanted nothing to do with this baby, and Summer hated your existence for all eternity, your big brother's got you. And this kid is gonna be so loved, he or she will be the one wishing they'd never been born.”

For the first time since she had arrived at his front door, Raven relinquished a small, albeit brief smile. Qrow couldn't help but smile back, pleased with his little speech's success.

“I'm going to hold you to that promise, brother.”

 

_If he had known then the full meaning behind her words..._

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***EDIT (8/4/16)***  
> (see chapter 7 for details)

 

It had been five hours since Raven had first gone into labor, three since he had been shoved out into the waiting room by a pushy nurse with a bad perm, and two since his sister had finally began to push.

Where the _fuck_ are Taiyang and Summer?

Qrow ran a clammy palm over his face. This kid was not going to wait much longer. From what little dialogue he could make out from behind the door, tuning out his ever-so-elegant sister's colorful language, the baby was crowning. He heard something about yellow hair, courtesy of the father, no doubt. It wouldn't be long now.

Come _on,_ Tai...

Twenty more minutes passed...Still no father-to-be in sight.

What happened next sent a flood of mixed emotions coursing through his body. There was a deafening final shriek, recognizably from the mouth of his twin sister, then a brief pause of silence, followed by another cry, only much softer. The tiny wails reverberated out into the hall where Qrow now sat stiff as a board, signaling the arrival of the latest addition to the Branwen bloodline. Whether it was a boy or girl was still anybody's guess. Despite the protests of her team, Raven had firmly insisted on not knowing the gender.

A few more moments passed before Qrow finally had to stand up, pacing the walkway in front of the delivery room and trying to reign in this abrupt onslaught of feelings. Everything from relief, joy, and excitement to fatigue, frustration, and disappointment; it all hit him at once. The majority of negative emotions he aimed at his best friend for missing out on the birth of his own firstborn, although he knew it was unfair to do so. Taiyang and Summer's mission had been last minute and declared a state of emergency. The new father's absence couldn't be helped. Resting on his faith in his blonde teammate to arrive soon, Qrow decided to allow the more positive emotions to take over. His sister was a mother. His best friend was a father. He was an uncle.

“Uncle Qrow,” he muttered to himself, testing the name out for the first time. It had a good ring to it. _Definitely not dorky_ , he thought, although the narcissist in him had always considered his name to be pretty badass.

Breaking his trance-like state, the same nurse that had first ushered Qrow out of the delivery room now stood at the entrance, door firmly shut behind her. She wore a miffed expression, which slightly concerned the younger man.

“You're the brother of Miss Branwen, right?” she asked, or demanded, rather.

Already put off by her treatment of him mere hours ago, Qrow threw her an equally annoyed look, shoving his hands in his pockets and rising to his full height. “I am. Has my banishment been lifted or am I still forbidden from seeing my sister?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She didn't seem to appreciate his witty remark, judging by the raise of her own brow, but she wisely chose to keep down any retorts that she might have. Her voice was clipped, though, as she continued, completely ignoring his inquiry, “Right. Well, your sister has given birth to a healthy baby girl.”

 _So I have a niece and not a nephew_ , Qrow allowed himself to think for a short moment. Part of him had secretly been hoping for a boy, mostly for Taiyang's sake. He needed someone he could rough house with. Girls tended to be fragile and required delicate handling, more often than not. Tai possessed all the delicacy of a Goliath on stilts. Summer was going to be absolutely unbearable with a little girl to spoil, though.

His musings were interrupted when the nurse spoke once more. She lifted her head, sticking her chin out haughtily and peering at Qrow from down the bridge of her crooked nose. “The only issues we've encountered have come from the mother, not the infant.”

“What do you mean? Is Raven okay?” he demanded of the woman. She was really testing his patience now.

“Aside from her rather uncouth treatment of our staff, she's just right physically. I tell ya, though, there's something off with her mentally,” the crotchety nurse declared crossly, shaking her head. “Honestly, I ain't never seen anything like it in all my years; a mother who absolutely _refuses_ to hold her own baby. Won't even give the poor thing a name.”

Confusion evident on his features, Qrow quickly brushed past the older woman, paying no mind to her ramblings about “youth these days” and how she was “worried for the future generations”.

As he entered the room, the scene laid out before him was puzzling. The walls were blindingly white and bare, devoid of the obnoxious bright colors one might expect from a place that literally brought children into the world. The main overhead light had been turned off, the only light source available coming from a long fluorescent bulb installed a couple feet above the headrest of the bed. Directly beneath that lay his sister, looking like she'd just single-handedly fought a war, with her head turned away from the small hospital bassinet placed against the wall. She appeared to be sleeping, and the dimly lit surroundings mixed with the quiet atmosphere certainly would have suggested so, but Qrow knew better. It had only been maybe fifteen minutes since she had finally given birth. You don't fall right to sleep all hunky-dory after a battle like the one Raven had been fighting.

Which brought him to his next question, where was the kid...or the doctor for that matter? The delivery room was empty, as was the bassinet, the only two breathing creatures in the vicinity being him and the brand new mother. Before he could open his mouth to expose and interrogate his obviously faking sister, he heard the click of a door being opened from across the room that he had previously overlooked. In came the doctor whom Qrow assumed had been in charge of the delivery, given the amount of questionable substances staining his uniform. The doctor gave Raven a brief one over, before smiling kindly, and approaching Qrow himself. When he spoke, his voice was hushed, and Qrow had to fight to keep from rolling his eyes...if this guy seriously believed his sister's little act...

“I take it you're the brother?” he started casually, smile still intact. Qrow simply nodded, arms crossed, eyes boring a hole into his sister's “sleeping” form.

“Congratulations on becoming on uncle,” he exclaimed as brightly as one could while attempting to remain quiet. “Still no sign from the father?”

Qrow turned his attention to the middle-aged man, shaking his head. “His partner messaged me earlier. Said they were finished and on their way, but the mission was a good ways from the city,” he murmured.

“I see. Well, when he does make it, he'll have one pretty little lady waiting for him, ready to meet her daddy,” the doctor encouraged.

For a split second, Qrow swore he saw his sister stir.

“And what about the mommy...?” he asked pointedly, making sure he emphasized the last word, knowing full well Raven could hear him.

The doctor's smile faltered ever so slightly. “Ah, I'm guessing Mrs. Nesbitt informed you of our little situation,” he whispered.

“You could say that,” Qrow deadpanned. _Mrs. Nesbitt, huh? A miserable name for a miserable woman._

Catching on to Qrow's sarcasm, the older man gave a polite chuckle. “You'll have to excuse her. She's been in the business since the olden days and somehow had never come across anything like this.” He placed his hands on his hips, reassuring smile back in place. “Rest assured, though, your sister is perfectly fine. It's not that uncommon for first time mothers to experience these kinds of emotions. We call them 'baby blues'. Anxiety, reluctance, frustration, all can be caused the stress that comes with motherhood. She'll come around soon enough.”

That did little to ease Qrow's growing list of concerns, but he nodded anyway, having decided it was best not to delve too far into it. His mind now settled on one thought; his niece.

“Doc, mind telling me where the little one is?” he inquired as casually as possible while glancing towards the empty baby bed, trying his best to keep the anxiousness he felt from showing. It didn't seem to help much because the doctor cast him a knowing grin.

“The staff have her back in the nursery, getting all bundled and dolled up for her big reveal. They're really having a field day with this one. She's precious as can be. Shouldn't be much longer now. You're more than welcome to sit with your sister until the others arrive.”

Tch...as if anyone was gonna be kicking him out of here again, Qrow thought begrudgingly. He moved to sit in the chair placed next to the bed, and let out a light, “Thanks for everything, Doc.” And with that, the doctor nodded, returning through the door from which he entered.

Finally alone in the room with his sister, Qrow gave it a couple seconds before he blurted out, “Cut the crap, Raven.”

The accused acknowledged his words with a disgruntled noise somewhere between a sigh and a groan, but she still did not open her eyes to look at him.

“How ya feeling, lil' sis?”

“I just spent seven agonizing hours in the most tormenting pain of my life...how do you think I feel, jackass?”

Qrow couldn't control himself. “Like you're already a bitter mother, complaining about your kids stealing the best years of your life.”

Finally opening her eyes, Raven responded, “I think you mistake me for someone else.”

Her brother cracked a crooked smile. “Yeah, I was having flashbacks of dear old Mom, too.”

He reached to give Raven's hand a small squeeze before letting go once more. “I would’ve been in here, Raven, but that short one's got a temper on her that could give even Glynda a run for her money.”

Raven snorted. “Yeah, she was a real bitch.”

Qrow contemplated asking Raven out right about her recent change in attitude, but figured that if the doctor was right, and this really was just a simple case of 'baby blues' or whatever, his pestering nature and questioning would only further deter Raven's eagerness to begin motherhood. However, he remained adamant about asking her one important detail.

“So...it's a girl. I know you were hellbent on not knowing the gender beforehand, but surely you had some idea of what you were going to name it if it turned out to be a girl...”

His sister didn't respond immediately. Dread overcame him. She really had spent nine months unprepared for this outcome, put absolutely zero thought into this kid at all. Hell, Summer had been the one to even begin preparations for the new arrival, helping Raven move her things into Tai's place in spite of her protests, setting up a nursery all decked out in yellow because it was gender neutral, and buying ungodly amounts of clothing in the same color. The only objection Raven ever really enforced was to Summer's attempts at hosting a baby shower, to which the former threatened to mutilate the shorter woman's prized possession, her pristine hooded cape. Other than that, Raven saw to it that she had been involved as little as possible in any decision making for the duration of her pregnancy.

Silence.

“For fuck's sake, Raven, she needs a name.” He tried to keep the accusation out of his words, not wishing to upset her or trigger anything. This whole pregnancy was clearly taking an even greater toll on his sister than he had originally thought.

Another long second of silence. Raven was choosing to ignore his inquiry.

She turned away from her brother, looking around the empty room. “Have Summer and Taiyang not made it back yet?” her voice held a trace of underlying concern, obviously wary of her teammates' conditions. A change of subject. He shook his head solemnly. They'd figure out a name before long.

Qrow took a brief moment to examine his twin's current state. There were visible dark, sagging bags beneath her eyes and whereas her pupils normally burned bright crimson, they now shone a deep, muted scarlet. Her jet black mane was still somewhat matted around the crown with leftover hints of perspiration. His younger sister really did look like she'd traveled to Hell and back, he noted. Qrow wanted to ease some of her worries, so he chose his words carefully.

“Tai and Summer are alive and kicking. Summer reported in about an hour and a half ago so they're gonna arrive soon...knowing Summer, probably on the wings of a goddamn Nevermore,” he joked. Raven didn't laugh, but she did visibly relax, sighing and turning her head to face the ceiling. Maybe it was best she really did try and get some rest before the others got here and the excitement kicked back up.

“You look like shit. Go to sleep...for real this time, yeah?” Qrow suggested snarkily. There was a small, offended growl from his counterpart, but he chose to ignore it like always. “Go ahead. I'll wake you when the gang's all here.” She didn't respond. Instead she just rolled over, facing the wall opposite from where he was perched beside her. He'd gotten his way for now.

Qrow sat in silence for nearly fifteen more minutes, listening to both the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall and his sister's steady breathing patterns, fully asleep this time. Head bobbing downwards, he had nearly begun to fall asleep as well, but his impending slumber was interrupted by another click from a door. Jolted awake by the thought of his team's long awaited arrival, Qrow jumped up, ready to give the pair an ear full on being punctual to these kinda things, but the door leading out to the hallway hadn't moved since he had first entered the room. Perplexed, the man switched his focus over to the only other entrance and the sight he was greeted with, although not the one he had initially been hoping for, was still a very much welcomed one.

“Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I was informed that the family of Miss Branwen had arrived.”

There was a young nurse standing in the doorway, a very attractive one, the more juvenile male half of his brain noted, but he couldn't dwell on her looks at the moment. What he was most interested in, she currently held securely in her arms, wrapped snugly in a pink fleece blanket. He knew that he was coming across as a total creep, silently standing in the middle of a room of a sleeping woman while staring at an infant, but he couldn't help but gaze in adoration at the arrival of his new family member. Fearing she might retreat with the baby, Qrow quickly spoke up, “Well, you're not wrong. I'm the uncle of that little girl you got there.”

She smiled warmly at that. _Pretty_ , Qrow mused distractedly before a little voice silenced him. _No. Bad Qrow. Focus on the baby, not babes._

“Well, in that case, would you like to finally meet your niece, sir?”

Qrow hesitated shortly, suddenly unreasonably unsure of himself, but finally nodded his head once.

The nurse stepped in his direction and prompted him to open his arms to receive the child, mimicking her holding position. She placed the baby in his waiting arms, and took a step back, taking in the sweet picture of the gruff, battle-hardened hunter now cradling a delicate newborn swaddled in pastel pink, the tell-tale signs of love already written all over his masculine features. It was one of her favorite perks of her job, watching little moments like these unfold. Lost in his own little world, Qrow never even noticed her slip back through the door and shut it firmly.

His niece was utterly perfect. Golden tresses adorned her round head, unquestionably marking her as Taiyang's offspring, while her nose was petite, slightly upturned, and her mouth bore a strong cupid's bow, a trademark of her mother. The hospital staff had place a thin pink headband with a small white daisy attached to it around her crown, and Qrow noticed how her blonde curls stuck out both underneath and over the band in a wild, untamed fashion, also much like her mother. The macho-man within him would never allow such words to be spoken aloud, but she was _so_ _damned cute._ How could his sister not want to spend every waking moment just staring at her?

After a spending several minutes lost in admiration, Qrow finally realized the other woman had made her exit, leaving him with sole custody of the tiny human. His immediate reaction was paralyzing fear. He was alone with a baby that he knew next to nothing about taking care of, while the mother, the one actually responsible for the kid's life, currently lay in bed conked out with 'baby blues', refusing to have anything to do with said child. Who the hell thought this was a good idea? What if he dropped it? Or it started wailing?

Qrow sighed and sat back down in the chair, still cradling the infant. Now, the new uncle wished more than anything he could just wake his sibling up and force her to take her kid, but he knew her condition sounded serious, and out of concern for both of his family members' well beings, he sucked up his insecurities and let her stay sleeping.

Arms growing tired, Qrow placed the child with no name on his lap, laying her so her tiny feet were nestled against him and her head rest on his knees. He gazed down at her, his timing impeccable as she did the most awe inducing thing; she opened her eyes, revealing two sparkling amethyst orbs, peering up at him. He knew it was a ridiculous thought, but he liked to think she was engraving his portrait in her mind, that she would remember this encounter years from now like he knew he would. The hunter couldn't ever recall a time in his life where he had felt more at peace.

All previous feelings of anxiety now effectively forgotten, Qrow hunched over his sister and best friend's child protectively, keeping his arms on either side of her, ready to catch her if she were to get rowdy and rock off his lap. Having another thought, Qrow made a promise then and there; should his niece ever fall at any point in her life, he swore he would be there to catch her, just like he was in the first few hours of her life.

There was a sudden clamor at the door way, breaking Qrow out of his reverie. He whipped his head in the direction of the offending intrusion. Had he not been holding the baby, the dusty haired man would've immediately come out of his seat to finally welcome his team, after having waited hours on end for their return.

Taiyang was first to barge in at speeds that rivaled a boarbatusk in full attack mode, panting heavily. “I...made...it...please...tell me....I made it,” came his struggled words, one hand on his knee, the other placed on the door frame, using it for much needed support.

Summer's entrance followed right after, equally as out of breath, but exasperation contorting her petite features. “Tai!...you can't just...kick little old ladies...in wheelchairs...out of elevators!”

The corner of Qrow's mouth quirked at his team's antics. Taiyang finally found the energy it seemed to look around the room, briefly pausing to question Raven's status, before finding Qrow sitting behind the bed. He assumed the baby was out of Tai's line of sight, because the burly man threw him a look that said “ _Well?!”_

Qrow's only response was a finger placed to his lips, signaling the new arrivals to keep their voices down. With a silent jerk of his head, he motioned for the pair to walk over to where he held the object of desire.

Their reactions were more or less the same as his had been; a mixture of awe, brief anxiety, love, and infatuation. Summer was in tears, as Qrow had expected, her being the 'sentimental' one of the quartet. However, Qrow was not expecting to see the small pools forming in his best friend turned brother's own eyes, not that he faulted the man in any way. This was his daughter, after all. Feeling as if he was unjustly withholding something precious from the gentle giant, Qrow took the little girl from his lap and carefully offered her to the newly minted father.

With his offspring securely within his grasp, Tai and Summer began talking back and forth both between each other and at the child, who obviously understood none of it. Qrow took their current distractedness as an opportunity to check up on his sister. He wasn't sure when, but at some point Raven had rolled her head back in his direction. Thinking nothing of it, he started to wake her as promised, but before he had moved a centimeter, one of her ruby irises cracked open. She silently shook her head with as little movement as possible, so as not to draw attention to herself. Dumbstruck, Qrow nodded in the same manner, allowing his twin to close her eyes once more.

 _That's odd. Why would Raven not want to greet the others all of a sudden?_ He would definitely have to have a serious sit down with his sister once they returned home. But for now, he pushed the notion to the back of his mind, focusing once more on the pair still cooing at Yang, completely unaware of the exchange between the Branwen siblings.

“Tai, I give you your daughter,” he trailed off awkwardly. That sentence really should have ended with a name, a fact that was just as obvious to Tai, apparently, judging by the look of anticipation still hanging on his face.

“A girl? We had a girl?”The excitement was there, but so was the confusion. “Well...what do I call her?”

Qrow scratched the back of his neck. “Uh...well...whatever you want, I guess, big guy. She is yours, after all.”

Taiyang's features shifted with uncertainty. “I figured Raven would want to pick if it turned out to be a girl. Isn't that what most chicks do?”

Qrow simply shrugged. “Hell if I know. You should know by now not to ask me why my sister does anything that she does. I'm just the uncle. Naming shit's not in my job description,” he clarified, holding his hands up in defeat. A long, thoughtful look washed over Tai as he stared down at his new miniature version of himself.

“Yang.”

“Uh...come again?” Qrow raised a brow, tone deadpan. If Tai was seriously suggesting...

“Yang Xiao Long.” He declared proudly, raising the infant a tad higher. “My little sun dragon!”

_Don't hit him. He's holding your niece,_ Qrow berated himself. “You can't be serious...you're gonna name your daughter after  _yourself_ ? Doesn't that seem a little, I dunno, self-centered?” That, and the fact that the stoic hunter wasn't sure how he felt about his niece's namesake coming from his barbarian of a partner.

“I think it's sweet,” Summer's melodious voice piped in. “It's like saying your wish is for your daughter to grow up to be big and strong, just like her daddy.”

Taiyang's response wasn't verbal, but everyone in the room, including Yang probably, could see how he puffed up with pride at the comment.

Qrow scoffed. Summer really was a piece of work, sometimes.

Tai eventually did speak, but when he did, Qrow nearly slapped him upside his big, blonde head. “With any luck, she be graceful like you, Sum, not reckless and aggressive like her mom and me.”

Were these two seriously  _flirting_ right now? Did they even  _realize_ Raven was five feet away from them? Sure, they didn't know she was actually awake, but still, Taiyang hadn't even questioned the health of the mother of his child. Qrow frowned deeply, crossing his arms.

“With any luck, she'll be half the woman her mother is.” He didn't attempt to conceal the condescension apparent in his tone. “Raven's fine by the way, if you were curious. Just been passed out for the last hour after spending seven in brutal labor.”

So maybe he was exaggerating a bit, but his fuse was short when it came to this type of behavior. Although Raven's announcement of her pregnancy had put an end to the possibility of a relationship between his other teammates, it didn't dowse the flames completely. Summer had backed out of confessing her love for the blonde, realizing what a complicated mess it would make of things, and instead chose to support her best friend in one of her most trying times, while Taiyang had done the responsible thing by swearing up, down, left and right that he was going to be there for both Raven and their child. But Qrow knew as well as his sister did, unfortunately, that there were still underlying and unspoken feelings between the two. They weren't exactly putting up their best efforts in concealing them. Maybe that was Raven's reason for not wanting to deal with the two just yet...

Summer was first to chime in this time, wearing an expression of guilt. “Well, now I just feel like a crappy friend,” she admitted. “Poor thing must be exhausted.”

“That's putting it lightly,” he muttered, aggravation still evident.

It was Tai's turn to speak. “Raven's a tough egg...stronger than even me. She just needs some well deserved rest. Then, I'm finally taking both of my beautiful girls home.” Taiyang smiled warmly over at the woman in question and then down to his little mini-me. His voice was full of admiration, enough so that Qrow couldn't find it in him to remain upset with his oldest pal. The big guy had a lot of emotions to sort through, he knew.

Qrow looked between the pair, sighed, and then nodded, releasing his forearms and shoving his hands into his pockets. Things within his team would sort themselves out as they always had. And now, with this new addition to their little close-knit family, he was even more sure of it. Yang's birth and been accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of love and sense of protection, not only for her but for each other. She would be the glue that kept them from falling apart at the edges.

_Or so he had hoped._

 


	3. Chapter 3

_**He should have noticed the blatant warning signs.** _

“ _...Raven had firmly insisted on not knowing the gender.”_

_**One.** _

 “ _...a mother who absolutely refuses to hold her own baby. Won't even give the poor thing a name.”_

_**Two.** _

“ _...Why would Raven name her after me?”_

_**Three.** _

_**The signs were all there. He should have noticed.** _

_**. . . . . . . . . . .  
** _

 Qrow didn't know what he had expected when he received a phone call from Summer less than twenty-four hours after they had dropped the new family off at Taiyang's home. Maybe the petite woman was still having trouble composing herself and needed to cry about it some more via phone conversation, having lost all control of her emotions at the “utterly adorable and simply precious” sight of Tai on the bed next to Raven, beaming with pride and showing off their masterpiece, little Yang. Hell, Qrow knew it would never be the case, but he actually would've preferred it if she'd been calling to rant about her feelings for Tai, her nonexistent animosity towards his sister, as well as her nonexistent resentment to the baby that she believed should have rightfully been hers. Anything would've been preferable to _this._

 “ _Qrow, you need to come back now.”_

 Summer was back at Taiyang's house?

 “Wait, why? Don't tell me Tai's already dropped her...”

 “ _No, he's just...we need you here. There's a bit of a...situation.”_

 Her words didn't inspire much confidence within him.

 “Well, tell me now so I know what I'm walking into. Are Raven and him fighting over something?”

 There was a pregnant silence.

 “ _Qrow...Raven's missing.”_

 …

 Raven was...missing? Before he could allow his mind to conjure up any worst case scenarios, he was on the line again.

 “Were there any signs of a struggle, a fight? Is Yang alright?” His tone was reaching new heights of concerned.

 Had someone learned about Raven's secret identity as the Summer Maiden and ambushed his sister while she was alone? Knowledge of the existence of the four maidens was kept under lock and key for a very justifiable reason. There were those with malicious intentions who would seek out the powers for their own agendas. Such scumbags were undoubtedly not above attacking a woman right after childbirth, let alone using the child as leverage. He apprehensively waited for Summer to elaborate. Her voice was fragile when she finally responded, Qrow once again finding himself wishing for the aforementioned scenario over this harsh reality.

 “ _No, Qrow...there's only...there's just a note. From her. She left on her own.”_

 He didn't ask what the note said. He didn't ask how she knew the message was from Raven. He didn't even tell her he was on his way before he cut the phone off.

Qrow just took flight.

 It was well into the evening, the sun already below the tree line surrounding his apartment, but he thought little of it. He was determined to make it there before the sky went black, when his avian eyes would be of little use to him. Black feathers ruffling in the wind, his strong wings cut through the warm July air, but all Qrow could feel was a frigid chill jetting down his spine.

. . . . . . . . . .

 Taiyang's home was eerily quiet. Qrow had used his spare key to enter through the front door, completely unannounced. Not like there was anyone in the front room to halt his intrusion. The lights were all off, save for a faint glow resonating from further down the hallway, the source most likely being Tai's bedroom. Marking that as his destination, Qrow made his way in long, somber strides. He hoped...no, _prayed_ to any gods that might be up there that scene he was about to waltz into would be a happy one; Tai would be stretched out on his bed, propped up against the headboard, Raven beside him under one of his beefy arms, their new bundle of joy finally nestled in her hold. Summer would be standing beside the window, turning to him with her classical jokester grin and she would shout, “Gotcha! Oh man, you should see the look on your face.”...but he knew better.

 The door to the bedroom was cracked, an amber light peeking through. He hesitated, listening to the muffled voices, trying to make out any words he could, desperately hoping in vain to hear his sister's alto tone amongst them. Realizing his was a moot point, Qrow finally gave in to his dreadful thoughts. He slowly pushed the door open, gazing deplorably at the sight before him. His best friend sat hunched over himself on the edge of his large bed, the one meant to accommodate both he and his child's now absent mother, Raven. A petite hand rubbed comforting circles along his back, belonging to the equally petite figure of Summer. Qrow's entry did little to disturb Tai's posture, but his eyes did lock on to Summer's, sadness and confusion spinning about within her sterling orbs. She stood to address him.

 “Qrow...Raven...she-”

 “Start from the beginning. How did this happen? Why was my sister even left alone?” Qrow cut her off, having no desire to hear the words he knew she was about to repeat from their conversation on the phone, the ones that made his stomach drop.

 Summer nodded, taking a deep breath, candidly relaying the version of events she had been told by Taiyang when he first called her back to the house.

 “You and I dropped them off this morning, and Tai said everything seemed normal. Raven went straight to bed, so he did the same with the baby. Around lunchtime, he checked on Raven to see if she was going to get up to nurse, but said she looked so relaxed he decided not to wake her, going to warm up some formula instead. He bottle-fed Yang and put her back in her room.”

 Summer had begun pacing in front of the bed, running her fingers through her short locks. Qrow listened intently, glancing between her and Taiyang, who hadn't moved an inch as the story went on.

 “Earlier this afternoon, Tai thought he finally heard Raven up and about, but he got distracted when Ozpin called, asking about the mission, Raven's health, and the baby. He said they stayed on the phone for a good while before finally hanging up and when he came back here, the bed was made and her bag was gone.”

 Summer walked over to the bed, picking up a small piece of stationery Qrow had overlooked. She handed the note over reluctantly, almost guilty. Qrow didn't know why, but he had a dire feeling he was about to find out. His eyes scanned the paper, analyzing the handwriting first and foremost. Unfortunately, the flowing script was unmistakably his twin's.

 

_**I sincerely hope you are able to make her happy.** _

 

 Red. His entire line of sight went red, ignited with rage and distraught.

 Qrow balled the offensive material in his hand, scowling at his tightly clenched fist for a hot second. With an aggrieved noise, he threw the paper at the hardwood floor, trying to reign in his venomous thoughts.

 Raven had left. His sister had forsaken not only him, but her new family, her best friend...her daughter. _Why?_

 He thought back to her final message.

 '... _make_ _ **her**_ _happy.'_

 What infuriated the man most was that he honestly could not decipher who his sister was referring to. Was it Yang?...or Summer?

 Qrow's head snapped up to look at the latter, eye's softening just slightly at her visage. Surely, Summer was having the same internal debate that he was. Deep down, he knew she was probably blaming herself for Raven's unforeseen departure. Qrow was about to offer her some half-assed attempt at comforting words, but a shift from the bed caught his attention.

 Tai had withdrawn from his perch on the side of the bed, now standing to his full staggering height with unreadable eyes. He finally greeted his lifelong friend, “Qrow...”

 Qrow hesitated at his sullen tone, unsure of his friend's current mental stability. He looked worse for wear, pale skin to match his equally pale and disheveled hair, dreary blue eyes devoid of the usual sunniness and enthusiasm he always exuded, even in the toughest of situations.

 “Tai, we're going to figure this out.” Qrow held is hands up, slowly approaching the beast.

 Taiyang's voice was now clipped, agitation oozing from each word. “What is there to figure out? Raven's gone. She came to me one night in heart wrenching tears, told me about our baby, and I assured her I wasn't going to leave her out to dry. I swore on my life and our then unborn child's that I would never leave either of them...and how does she repay me? She bailed on _both_ of us!”

 Qrow's hands dropped, no longer interested in being cautious. “Look, Tai, I know you're mad-”

 Taiyang never gave the darker haired man a chance to finish.

 “She never wanted anything to do with our baby! Never wanted to know the gender, wouldn't help out with arrangements...fuck, she refused to hold her, Qrow. Not even once! She planned this from the beginning, tried everything in he power to make this easier for her, a clean break. She even named Yang after me, used my last name _and_ first. Raven made absolutely sure no part of her was attached to _our fucking daughter_. Yes, I am mad. I'm fucking _**furious**_ , because now my little girl has to grow up with a missing piece to her family. Her mother, _your_ sister, abandoned us!”

 Maybe it was all the pent up stress that had accumulated over the past seventy-two hours. Maybe it was the fact that the livid man's acrimonious speech rang all too true in his ears. Whatever the reason, Qrow decked the larger man square in his chiseled jaw, hard enough to shut him up, but not to draw blood.

 His assault was ill-placed, he knew. Taiyang had every right to feel the way he did, to throw such slanderous accusations against Raven in his face, a fact that made Qrow resent his sister's actions even more in that moment, for creating a rift between he and his most treasured friend. He didn't even attempt to dodge out of the way of Tai's counter assault, letting the righteous fist connect with his own face.

 Summer was between the two rivaling men in an instant, fist balled into his shirt as she pinned Qrow to the wall while simultaneously shoving Taiyang back onto the bed with ease, despite him being nearly three times her own weight. Qrow's head reeled from the impact of hitting drywall, briefly making a mental complaint about how she made sure Taiyang had at least landed on a soft surface, but he quickly regained his composure when the tiny woman's head whipped to set her steely gaze on him. Summer the Friend was congenial and a sweet soul...but Summer the Huntress was a fierce warrior, a force to be reckoned with.

 “Both of you, control yourselves. Need I remind you that there is now a beautiful baby girl sound asleep in the next room? She's depending on her father and her uncle from here on out. Now, you both are going to learn to play nice or so help me I will march out the front door with her in my arms this very moment.” Her name may have been Summer, but her tone was anything but warm, icier than the harsh Atlesian winter storms.

 Her words sobered the two men in a heartbeat. She was right. Yang was just down the hall, barely twenty feet from their mini brawl, blissfully unaware of the turmoil surrounding the once happy family she had been born into.

 Qrow slowly made his way over to the disheartened father, gripping his hand in his and pulling him in for a firm brotherly hug. “Tai...”

 Taiyang returned the sentiment before speaking again, voice dangerously low and close to breaking. “Did you know...” he struggled to get the words out. “...this entire time...what she was going to do...?”

 Taiyang desperately needed to know. He needed affirmation that his most trusted companion had no prior knowledge of his sister's plans for leaving. The blonde giant felt incomplete, the exact opposite of what one should feel after the birth of their first child. Raven and Tai may not have been _together_ together anymore but he still cared immensely for her. He didn't understand how she could stab him in the heart like this.

 Qrow patted his buddy's broad shoulder, still embracing him. “No big guy, I didn't...If I had, you know I would've told you. This wouldn't even be an issue right now.”

 Qrow finally released him, frowning at the fragileness he saw there. Up until a couple hours ago, if anyone had used that term to describe his happy-go-lucky pal, the same one who laughed in the face of danger, always looking for the brighter side of things, Qrow would've accused them of lunacy.

 Delicacy aside, Qrow still had words to cross with Tai...and Summer. The wiry huntsman looked between his teammates, shoving his hands in his pockets before starting.

 “Raven's not entirely at fault here and both of you know it...you _know_ why. Raven found out about your little thing going on behind the scenes. She'd sooner rot in hell than she would let you two know, but it ate at her, understandably so. By no means am I excusing her actions, but I'm sure as hell not excusing yours either.”

 There. He'd gone ahead and addressed the big, fat goliath in the room.

 Taiyang and Summer exchanged a look of guilt. For a brief moment, Qrow regret verbally slapping them across the face, putting a voice to the thoughts they no doubt had already been considering. This night had been hard enough for everyone involved as it was. The last thing he wanted was to damage his relationship with what members of this small family he still had.

 “Look guys, I don't blame either of you...I get it, you two are in love, and I would be more supportive if my own blood weren't involved...” he shook his head. Be cordial, Qrow. Tell them to quit being so hard on themselves. Qrow started back up, packing as much sympathy as he could manage into his words.

 “But at the same time, I don't think Raven did what she did because she felt betrayed by either of you...at least, not entirely. I know her better than anyone. There's always a deep standing reason for everything she does. Running away because you two started something new...well, that's just too cowardly of her, and I think you both realize that, too. So stop blaming yourselves.”

 Taiyang ran a palm over his face and then back up through his shaggy mane, sitting heavily back on the bed, hunched over once more with his head hung pathetically against his hands. Summer nodded her head, glancing over at Tai with concern, a single tear rolling down the ghostly white skin of her cheek.

 Honestly, he did not in fact blame the pair for Raven's disappearance. No, she had gone and dug that hole herself, the decision to leave being entirely hers. That being said, Qrow couldn't bring himself to believe this all amounted to a bad case of 'baby blues'. This wasn't even entirely about the convoluted love triangle between Tai, Summer, and herself. Qrow thought back to her words when she had first informed him of her pregnancy.

 “ _Having this baby would only jeopardize my mission.”_

That damned mission of hers.

 What was she planning? What could be more important than sticking around to watch your child grow up, hear her first giggle, her first words? Teach her how to ride a bike and letting her crawl under the covers beside you whenever lightning struck and thunder roared?

 Qrow shook his head in frustration, lost in his thoughts.

 He was slowly coming to terms with the fact that his sister had indeed fled her family, for reasons neither Taiyang nor Summer would ever have the fortune of knowing. No matter his desire to, Qrow couldn't inform them of Raven's secret burden and subsequently, her 'mission'...not even under these circumstances. The less people who knew, the safer...for Raven, for the team, and for Yang's sake.

 Qrow let out a relieved sigh thinking of his baby niece. Raven hadn't run off with Yang, at least. Knowing of his sister's hidden and shady agenda, she would be dealing with unfavorable situations for raising a child anyway and, frankly, Qrow wanted Yang as far away from her mother's disreputable endeavors as possible. His niece was still safe here, with him, and her father, and Summer, as well.

 As if on cue, a tiny cry rang out from down the hall, cutting the tension. Every head in the room snapped to the doorway. Qrow then looked to Tai expectantly, but paused when he saw the sheer apprehension and tears in the young father's eyes. Of course, he had to be wondering how he could ever face his daughter, knowing he'd let her mother abandon her less than a day after she was born. Qrow nearly wanted to cry for his friend, but angry tears directed at his twin.

 Summer seemed to be the only one left with enough composure to deal with the infant's desperate cry for attention. She wiped her eyes, exiting the bedroom to make her way into Yang's nursery. Qrow could hear her gently hushing the cranky child, as well as her footsteps, probably pacing about to sooth her. A few moments later and the noise had finally subsided. The door opened back up, revealing Summer once again, this time accompanied by a sleepy Yang. Summer sat down on the bed, allowing Taiyang to take hold of his daughter hesitantly. Qrow watched as an array of emotions flickered through his face, one in particular winning out...sorrow.

 Qrow had to look away at that point, no longer able to stand the sight of the man he loved like a brother break down over his motherless child. Looking away didn't stop the assault of the sound of choked cries on his ears.

 


	4. Chapter 4

. . .

“ _What are you suggesting, Qrow? That we all just drop our lives to chase her down?”_

“ _I'm not suggesting anything. I'm telling you to stay here and raise your daughter. I'm going to find her.”_

“ _I'm coming with you, then.”_

“ _No, you're not, Summer. She's my pain in the ass sister, my problem. Besides, big guy over here is gonna need all the help he can get. I'd prefer to still have a niece when I come back dragging her kicking and screaming mother behind me.”_

“ _Just be careful, you ol' Scarecrow.”_

“ _And you better take care of my niece, ya cowardly Lion.”_

“ _Tch, what does that make me? Dorothy?”_

“ _Sure, but only 'cause my sister fits the role of The Wicked Witch of the East so well.”_

_They said their goodbyes, Qrow placing one final kiss on Yang's small forehead before heading out into the summer night, deciding where would be best to begin his search for Raven..._

_Qrow was not an easily intimidated man. He'd stared six ton beasts with tusks taller than his own body dead in the eye before mowing them down like common grass...but for the first time in his twenty-five years of existence, Qrow couldn't sense his twin's presence anywhere, no matter how far out he stretched...and that truly shook him._

_**. . . . . . . . . .** _

Eleven months.

That had been eleven months ago.

And he didn't have a damned thing to show for it.

Wherever Raven was, she had done a fine job covering her tracks, making it impossible for anyone to tail her. Qrow had trekked all over Remnant, gone as far as the outer rim of Menagerie before vexation and home sickness finally dragged his sorry ass back to Patch for good. He'd spent nearly the entire past year juggling standard missions along with his hunt for his sister, using whatever little time he had left to visit with the remaining members of STRQ and his rapidly growing niece. He'd already missed out on so much of Yang's first year hopelessly searching for her estranged mother; first smile, first time sitting up, first adventures in crawling. He wasn't about to miss her first birthday.

A knock at his front door caught his attention, moving from the kitchen bar he'd been sat at for a little over an hour now to stumble towards the interruption. Upon swinging the heavy door open, dark rubies met with vibrant sapphires.

“Yo, Qrow. Care for a visitor? No? Great! Thanks for the invite.”

Taiyang unabashedly marched past the exhausted hunter as if he owned the place, Qrow wordlessly following him into the kitchen. The blonde assumed Qrow's earlier position at the bar counter, watching his friend carefully as he walked further into the open area, reaching into one of the above cupboards and pulling out a handle of Shawcross Specialty, some of the strongest bourbon on the market. Two glasses were then produced, filled, and one pushed his way. Such was commonplace, the two companions often sharing a drink in each other's homes or out in bars together. Being a recent subscriber to fatherhood, Tai had done well to cap his alcohol intake, only doing so whenever Qrow made his way back home and Yang had been put to bed for the evening. Qrow it seemed, however, had steadily increased his. Tai politely sipped on his liquor, frowning as the slimmer of the two tossed the amber liquid back as if it were nothing more than a measly shot. He chose to ignore it for the time being.

“So...where did you find yourself this time?”

Qrow groaned, rubbing his palm down his face and leaning back against another counter.

“Fuckin' outskirts of Vacuo. Nothing but a bunch of sand and trailer trash out there...”

Honestly, Vacuo was the last place he'd expected Raven to be, given her immense distaste for the heat and sun, but Qrow had exhausted every other lead he'd had. The desert bearing continent had truly been his last resort.

“Figured as much,” Tai stated forlornly. His frown set in deeper when Qrow reached for the handle of hard liquor once more. Surely, this wasn't what he had been up to all day...He shook the concern from his head, deciding to go for a distraction.

“Yang's birthday is coming up fast, can you believe it? A whole year I've kept her alive!” He tried joking with his disgruntled friend who always seemed so concerned with Taiyang's competency as a father. Waiting for a reaction, he sipped on his whiskey, peering over the glass.

Qrow simply scowled at his own drink before taking a long gulp, but not finishing it off as he'd done with the previous. Swallowing harshly, the raven haired man set his glass down on the counter behind him, turning back to the blonde and shoving his hands in his pockets nonchalantly.

No verbal response. That intrigued Taiyang. If there was one thing that could slap a smile on Qrow's face as of late, it was the rambunctious soon-to-be one year old. Whenever he was actually able to hang around the Xiao Long household, Qrow made his best attempts to bond with his niece. More often than not, his visits resulted in him passing out on Tai's couch, fatigue finally catching up with him, with the pip squeak blonde sprawled out on top of him, equally at peace. Not that Taiyang minded in the least. He was grateful for Qrow's efforts to return their missing team member and his daughter's mother, but not at the expense of his own health. At least, under his roof, Taiyang knew his best friend was being taken care of and free from stress.

“Summer's got a whole shindig planned out. Three-tiered cake, bouncy house, clowns, the whole shebang.”

Qrow snorted.

“That's stupid. What's a one year old gonna do with a bouncy house?”

Taiyang cracked a smile, finally able to break Qrow's silence.

“She said it was more so for us and the other guys to rough house in. 'Keep all you ursa contained and away from the civilized' as she so lovingly put it.” He swirled his glass, taking another swig of his drink.

Qrow shook his head, shrugging his shoulders and releasing a deep sigh.

“Whatever, man. I'll be there.” He reached into his back pocket for his flask, pulling it out and turning it over in his hands thoughtfully.

The leather was slightly worn, being just shy of five years old, but the design etched on the front remained relatively undamaged. Half of the Branwen crest, his half, stood out in stark contrast to the lighter aging leather that surrounded it. He ran his thumb over the emblem, the right wing of a bird in conjunction with a gear, made to depict the eyes of said bird when paired with it's mirrored counterpart. It had been a gift after graduating the academy...a special, well-thought out gift from his twin, the other half of the crest. There was a time when his sister had been softer around the edges, taking the time to be considerate of those she cared for, especially him. Despite the utter hell he'd been traversing in search for his wayward sibling, he couldn't help himself from retaining his protective older brother persona. Where was she right now and who with? Was she safe?

“Will you, though?”

Qrow's head snapped up, unable to remember what they had been discussing just seconds before.

“What's what?”

Taiyang raised an eyebrow at his friend's confused state. Maybe the alcohol was already taking effect, but last he checked, Qrow was a bit more of a heavy-weight than that.

“I asked if you were actually going to make it to Yang's birthday. Thought you might be heading back out on the hunt soon...” He made sure to keep his tone light and curious, devoid of accusations.

Qrow narrowed his eyes, casting his gaze back down to his flask. He considered his friend's words, staring a hole into the minimalistic yet well-crafted design, what it symbolized. The mentally drained warrior had made up his mind a while ago, before his brother's arrival.

“I'm done chasing her.”

Solidifying his resolve, Qrow turned to set the leather and metal container on the far corner of his counter top, it's purpose now serving as ornamentation rather than that of necessity and utilization. The flask would remain in that spot for the next couple of years, filled with the happier memories of he and his sister, collecting dust.

_**. . . . . . . . . .** _

A month of well-deserved rest had come and gone when Qrow found himself in the open field that resided behind Taiyang's home, surrounded by streamers and balloons in an assortment of vivacious colors and equally vibrant party-goers. Summer really had outdone herself with this. Seriously. It was giving him a headache from all the racket. He silently thanked Oum for answering his prayers as she had backed out of the clown idea. Man, he hated those things.

A wet gurgle made its way to his ears. Qrow turned his head to the small child resting on his hip, a finger or two shoved flatteringly in her tiny mouth, drool dribbling down the tiny digits. He promptly removed them, wiping the mess up with his shirt, grimacing.

“Hey small fry, how 'bout we _not_ try and devour our own hand, sound good?”

His only reply was a blank stare. Good. Message received.

Readjusting her to his left side, Qrow took another look around the makeshift “fairgrounds”, as the party planner liked to call it. He preferred the term “zoo”.

Having but one meager year of life experience under her belt, Yang didn't exactly have a large repertoire of contacts, leaving most of the guest list to be comprised of STRQ's friends, some who had met the birthday girl, others who had not and insisted on passing her around like a peace pipe, much to Qrow's distaste. It couldn't be helped he supposed, looking down at his niece in her party attire; a fru-fru-y yellow and black striped dress resembling a bumblebee that he, as a grown man, would never allow himself to admit that he actually liked, complete with a small black silk ribbon tied into a bow around a particularly stubborn cowlicked piece of hair atop her head.

She _was_ adorable. And everyday she looked more and more like her mother, despite the color scheme she shared with her father. Qrow quickly shook that thought away before it could fester in his mind.

Back to examining the festivities, Qrow was quickly reminded why he felt inclined to refer to the party as a “zoo”.

Littered across the field were dozens of adults, and he used the term very loosely, gallivanting around like unsupervised eight year olds in a toy store. There was a small handful of _literal_ children, sons and daughters of their older friends, but for the most part, grown men and women occupied the snack table, bar (he and Tai both had petitioned for that one), and, as promised, the bouncy house. He spared a glance to the inflatable contraption made for toddlers that was currently occupied by respectable huntsmen, the loudest of the bunch being none other than the host, Taiyang. Judging by the violently absurd shaking and bobbing, he supposed it was only a matter of time before the damned thing popped, hopefully trapping the hooligans inside.

When it looked like it _would_ finally burst, a lightning fast blur of white dashed past him, stopping before the entrance. Sensible Summer was in high gear, poking her head in and yelling at the occupants to settle down unless they wanted to pay for the damages to the rental. A deep, collective “Yes, ma'am” quickly followed. Qrow chuckled at the blatant authority she wielded over the group of men, which prompted the baby he still carried to laugh along simply because he was.

Still, he couldn't blame the attendees entirely for their childlike behaviors. The life of a hunstman or huntress was no walk in the sunshine. Any opportunity to unwind and enjoy another day of being alive was always welcomed. As he had predicted it would on this day a year ago, Yang's existence was bringing people together, giving them a reason to celebrate, whether she could comprehend it or not. Listening to her high-pitched laughter, though, he firmly believed she just might.

He smiled down at the still giggling birthday girl, scooping her up closer and attacking her face with kisses. Life had finally began to settle for the overworked hunter, and he couldn't be happier. His niece in one hand, a cold beer in the other, Qrow made his way to her father who had finally descended from his rubber castle.

_**. . . . . . . . . .** _

When the night finally approached and the mess had been dealt with, Qrow and Taiyang sat on the back porch, a tuckered out Yang resting against her father's chest, not completely asleep yet.

The back door opened, Summer smiling down at the two men, clearly pleased with herself.

“Oh yeah...one birthday down, only twelve more or so to go,” she boasted, hands on hips and head held high, a pose that shouted 'I am Supermom, hear me roar'.

Taiyang applauded her efforts, Qrow choosing to lounge back further in his seat and raise his beer to her before taking a drink.

Being summertime, the air was still warm, if a little humid, and crickets chirped from all around, as far back as into the woods that surrounded the cabin. Above the ruckus, a barely audible yawn could be heard from the tiny birthday girl, utterly exhausted from her big day of being paraded around like a trophy. Summer immediately stepped forward to remove her from her father's hold, a chubby arm stretched out towards her eagerly.

“Alright Sunshine, I'm sorry. You should've been tucked in an hour ago. Say goodnight to Daddy and Uncle Qrow.”

Yang put her head down on Summer's shoulder, lifting a pudgy hand to wave bye-bye to the two. Taiyang grabbed it, kissing the soft skin and cooed, “Sleep tight, Sunlight. Daddy loves you.”

Qrow smiled warmly, ruffling her unkempt golden tresses even further. “Happy Birthday, sweet thing.”

The two girls disappeared back into the house. A few more moments of silence before Qrow sighed, effectively breaking it.

“Thank Oum for Summer. Can you imagine either of us trying to put something like that together?” He grinned, placing his hands behind his head, leaning back.

“What, you don't think strippers and an open bar are appropriate first birthday activities?” Taiyang retorted.

Well, they _had_ had a bar at this one, but the number of drinks had been limited for each guest. Last thing they needed was a field full of drunken combat trained warriors wielding cake knives and helium tanks.

Tai chuckled at the imaginary scenario before sobering, adding in a much more serious manner, “She really has been amazing. Not just today...this entire year. No offense, but with you being gone for most of it, I'm not sure how I would've made it past the first month without her, much less a year.”

Qrow's jovial demeanor deflated slightly, guilt creeping up his spine. He had been absent for a long while, and despite his efforts to stay connected, the so-called “esteemed warrior” had been unsuccessful in every aspect. He hadn't been able to track his sister, never even came close, he'd missed out on crucial moments in his friend's and family's lives, and whenever he was able to see them, he usually ended up falling asleep on them. His grip tightened on his bottle, determined to fix things.

“About that...I'm...” Qrow hesitantly met his best friend's gaze. “I'm real sorry I couldn't bring her back, Tai.”

A large hand found his shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance.

“Don't worry about it, brother. I'm just glad you finally gave up...let the past go.”

Qrow didn't know how to take that, feeling slightly offended, but not sure if he had any right to. Deciding not to let it get to him, he simply nodded, finishing up his last beer for the night. He needed to be able to see straight to fly home in a bit.

“I'm gonna ask her to marry me...Summer, I mean.”

Qrow sputtered up the last drops of his drink, wiping the liquid from his mouth with the back of his hand. His head whipped to look at Tai's face, amusement to his reaction written all over his smug grin.

“You _what_?”

Tai smiled sincerely this time, leaning on his knees, hands laced together. “You said it yourself. It's pretty obvious we're in love...and Yang, she loves her so much. My little girl needs a mother, Qrow...a whole family. Doesn't that sound nice? For her sake?”

Taiyang was aware of Qrow's reasoning for opposition. He didn't blame him either, but, he prayed his best friend could see his desires for his own daughter outweighed the desires of his own heart. He loved Summer, true, but he loved Yang more and wanted to give her the world, one with a mother to cherish her, braid her hair, sing her to sleep...all the things Summer was already doing for Yang.

Qrow looked at him sorely, not out of resentment or judgment, but disappointment. It seemed Taiyang was really ready to forget about his ex lover, Raven. He had long since moved past her betrayal, something Qrow wouldn't hold against him, but it still disappointed the thinner man a bit. Maybe he had been chasing fool's gold this entire time, selfish hopes of his twin returning, perhaps even marrying his best friend that he knew she loved, wanting that happier lifestyle for his sister rather than what she had been granted.

_That isn't going to happen_ he drilled into his mind.  _Let it go. Let them be happy._

“It sounds like you're finally going to get the life you always wanted...I'm...happy for you. For _both_ of you.”

Taiyang looked at him steadily, searching for any signs of insincerity, finding none. He clapped a large hand on Qrow's back again, nodding firmly.

“That means everything coming from you, brother.”

**. . . . . . . . . . **

As Qrow sauntered into his apartment that night, he reflected on the news.

Taiyang was going to propose.

Summer was going to say yes.

Yang was going to have a complete family.

Raven was going to be forgotten.

He was going to have a drink.


	5. Chapter 5

The wedding was a small, intimate affair; far from the extravaganza Qrow had expected, given Summer's tendency to go above and beyond when it came to 'crucial moments in one's life', such as a baby's first birthday. But it was idyllic, nonetheless.

  
The ceremonious event was held back on Tai's home island of Patch, set upon a grassy cliff overlooking the ocean, the sun slowly beginning to sink below the golden ripples. It was picturesque, the kind of scene that inspired Remnant's greatest artists, and the ideal setting for such a resplendent display of love and lifelong commitment between two such devoted lovers...or some other sappy shit like that, Qrow mused.

  
The 'best man' stood proudly beside the groom at the head of the makeshift outdoor altar, waiting on the bride's arrival and dressed in identical three piece suits; stark white jackets, jet black trousers, matching black vests, the only distinction being Qrow's black bow tie, whereas Taiyang's was a rich scarlet, Summer's favorite shade, to be exact. A single red rose adorned both of their lapels. The dark haired huntsman wasn't much for fancy events and playing dress up, but _damn he looked good._ Tai cleaned up pretty well himself, he reckoned.

Qrow shifted his weight, tugging slightly at his shirt cuffs and flexing his wrists. If things didn't hurry up, he'd collapse of a heat stroke in front of their small assembly. Autumn was upon them, a few leaves littered here and there, but for the most part it was still warm outside, even with the sun retreating. Being so close to the equator, the kingdom of Vale as a whole experienced long summers that overstayed their welcome well into the fall, winters being almost nonexistent, save for the rare snow storm every two or three years.

_Alright_ , the near sweating groomsman thought agitatedly, _let's get this show on the road, people._

Apparently, the almighty Oum was smiling down on Qrow that evening because in that same moment the entire gathering twisted in their seats, signaling the highly anticipated entrance of the bride. Following suit, Tai and Qrow straightened their stances, hands neatly crossing in front of themselves.

As the new arrival appeared at the end of the altar, Qrow had to berate himself for half expecting it to be a _different_ raven haired female, but one who was just as in love with their only golden haired companion.

A tiny voice whispered... _That should have been-_

He instantly punched the tiny voice in the metaphorical face. He'd made peace with this new outcome a while back. Qrow smiled sincerely at the shorter, far less buxom figure standing several yards away.

Summer Rose was a beauty for sure, equally elegant as the bloom her namesake alluded to. The wedding ceremony might have been simplistic, but her gown was every bit of girly and ornate as he had expected it to be. Her small frame was wrapped securely in silk, or maybe it was satin, (Qrow never claimed to be a fashion expert) that winded down her figure until about right below her waist, where it fanned out, embellished with a collection of lace and roses. On any other woman, it would of looked undeniably gaudy, but Summer pulled it off gracefully. Taking his eyes off the approaching female, Qrow side glanced to his partner in crime, smiling warmly at what he witnessed. Taiyang looked like every single wish he'd ever made on past birthday candles had just come true all at once.

A few audible “aw”s had him readjusting his field of vision to the aisle, looking for the source of such a reaction. He found it in Summer's arms.

In place of a bouquet, Summer held her soon to be stepdaughter, Yang, who in turn held a miniature basket of rose petals and was haphazardly scattering them about every other step as she saw fit. Naturally, the small child had been given the role of 'flower girl', but couldn't be let loose on the ground. She had yet to master the art of walking more than a few feet before collapsing, although usually into either her parents' or uncle's waiting arms. Thus, she had to be carried down the aisle. Summer was all too willing to take up the position, not fond of the idea of so many scrutinous eyes being solely on her at once, anyhow. Yang had proven to be an effective distraction, occasionally letting out a tiny roar and hurling a mass of crushed petals at unlucky guests, one in particular landing in the wrinkly face of the mother of the groom.

Hard as he tried, Qrow was unable to stop a snort of amusement at that. Kid had an arm and sharp enough instincts to easily identify the enemy. Tai's mother and he had never gotten along at all since their first introduction so many years ago, the old woman being far too cantankerous and uptight for Qrow's laid back and 'horrendously vulgar' demeanor. Whatever, the old hag was on her last leg anyway. As if reading his mind, the groom silenced him with a jab of his elbow.

Qrow stepped forward as the lovely duo finally made their way to the front, arms outstretched to receive the baton that was being passed off to him, uttering a compliment of admiration to his friend before letting Summer join hands with her husband-to-be. The rambunctious blonde settled down in his hold, tiny hands reaching for his face to plant a wet one right on his cheek like she almost always did whenever her uncle picked her up. Her kiss was promptly returned, as always.

Most of the ceremony escaped him, Qrow's attention being drawn away from the cheese fest before him and instead pulled to his niece, trying to keep her occupied and silent, and for the love of god would she please stop putting her fingers in her mouth, they might still have petal residue on them and if she were going to be staying with him for a week while her parents honeymooned he would not be handling a sick fifteen month old...over the racket of his internal concerns, he'd barely caught on as the minister asked for the rings.

Right. That was _his_ job.

Juggling the toddler with some difficulty, Qrow managed to fish the gold bands from his pocket. He made a show of handing them to their new respective owners, priding himself on not forgetting the key elements of a wedding, a fear Summer had vocalized to him for weeks on end in the initial stages of planning. Honestly, she should learn to have more faith in him. To think that he would be so insensitive to the couple's big day and totally disregar-oh hey he'd completely tuned out on their vows and now the small crowd was applauding because they we're kissing.

Woops.

**. . . . . . . . . .**

Night had fallen, the reception well-lit by several ambient fixtures scattered amongst the field, once again in Taiyang's, and now Summer's, backyard. Several guests had paired off to dance, the newlyweds included. Unsurprisingly, Qrow chose to sit out, watching over Yang instead as she sat by his feet playing with a grasshopper. Had Summer not been so preoccupied with the love of her life, she might have been mortified by the thought of her precious sunflower taking up such an unlikely friend, detesting insects herself. But Summer wasn't here right now, and Qrow's arms finally were earning some well deserved rest after handling his feisty niece for most of the evening. Speak of the devil...

He felt a tug on his knee, turning his gaze downwards to watch the little girl pull herself up, gazing right back at him with her discernible violet eyes, one of her baby fists stretched out towards him.

“Caw!”

He really should've recognized that mischievous glint in her eyes...it rivaled his own whenever he was up to no good.

No sooner than he had moved to grab her little fist did she release her grip, dropping two small grasshoppers he hadn't noticed onto Qrow's lap, effectively causing the grown man to jolt upright, slapping about to get the intruding bugs off his person. Yang, ever the happy lil' troublemaker, clapped her pudgy hands, crashing backwards in a fit of laughter.

“You think this is funny, huh?”

Feigning irritation, the huntsman scowled down at the toddler, quickly dowsing her enjoyment. He held firm for only a couple more seconds before his face betrayed him, breaking out into a diabolical grin.

“Come here, you little-”

The blonde girl tried to scramble away, eyes bright with mirth once more, but Qrow was quick to scoop her up by her ankles, swinging her upside down like a monkey, her frilly red dress falling upwards.

“I'm _trying_ to raise my daughter to be a lady, Qrow, if you don't mind...”

The new voice belonged to none other than the man of the hour, Taiyang, standing just a few feet away, arms crossed, but eyes aglow with amusement while watching the pair interact. Trapped underneath his left arm and wrapped around his bicep was Summer's right hand, his new wife's visage reflecting his own equally. Qrow rolled his eyes, flipping the little girl upright to find her cheeks redder than her dress, flushed from the sudden rush of blood to her head during her upside down state. Glancing around the now right side up world, her adjusting eyes met with her father's, twisting in Qrow's grip to catch his attention.

“Da! Da!”

If at all possible, Tai's face lit up even brighter as his daughter called to him, releasing Summer's hand to remove his mini-me from Qrow's hold.

“Alright, Sunshine. I think the new wife's hogged enough of my attention. Come dance with your old man,” the hulking man demanded, carrying off an eager faced Yang to the middle of the dance floor, leaving behind the other two. Summer nudged Qrow roughly in the ribs, earning her a confused glare.

“Not even gonna ask me for a dance, you slob?” she smirked, grabbing his upper arm and dragging him in the same direction Tai and Yang had left in without giving him time to form a proper response.

Qrow didn't dance. Not that he couldn't, but he just didn't, especially not without a couple drinks in him first. Seeing how alcohol had been outlawed from the event (yet another mark against Taiyang's prissy mother in Qrow's book), he hadn't planned on stepping foot out there that night, but Summer was like another sibling to him and if he couldn't be there to dance with his biological sister for her big day, he figured he could at least be there for Summer on hers. So he swallowed his pride, placing one hand on her tiny waist, using his other to grip her equally tiny hand, swaying casually to the music.

“Is this how you coerced my old buddy into marrying you? Stripping him of his booze and dragging him behind you against his will?” He teased dryly.

Without missing a beat, Summer 'accidentally' stepped on his foot harshly, turning her head to look into the distance innocently.

“Oops.”

“Yeah, I'll bet,” he drawled bemusedly “'Oops' my ass.”

“Well, can't have you exposing me for the master manipulator that I am and sabotaging my happy marriage, now can I?” Summer summoned her sweetest smile, knowing her longtime teammate and close friend would be unable to resist her sugary charm.

Qrow used the time spent dancing to reflect on his friendship with the small but fearsome huntress. His first impression of her during the academy entrance exams had been...immature and naive. Summer had stumbled upon Raven first in the Emerald Forest, the pair eventually meeting up with himself and Taiyang, quickly forming a makeshift team and devising a plan to complete their objective. Qrow was quick to compare the two females, them being polar opposites in nearly every aspect.

His sister was tall, a tad shorter than himself, but still nearly a head taller than her newly founded partner. Whereas Raven was built rock solid and curvaceous, the newcomer looked fragile with noticeably less muscle definition. Both women were beautiful in their own respects, but Summer lacked the certain 'attributes' that his younger twin possessed.

Not only were the differences physical, but even their personalities it seemed were bound to clash at one point or another. Qrow knew his sister, how much of a hard-ass she could be when it came to combat, aggressive and domineering. Outside of battle, she was elusive and guarded, allowing virtually no one but himself to get close to her. After spending only a day with Summer, Qrow couldn't help but mourn for his sister's sanity, which he honestly feared might fall apart from overexposure to her new partner, who seemed to live in a perpetual state of positivity and cheerfulness. It wasn't a friendship he saw outliving their required four years at Beacon.

_How wrong he had been._ Opposites do attract, he guessed, because the two fought exceptionally well together; seamlessly, like a well-oiled machine. Off the battlefield, the pair were nearly inseparable...that is, up until recent events, i.e. the breakup, the baby bomb, and the abandonment.

“Qrow...I've actually been meaning to talk to you since this whole wedding business came about.”

Oh boy. He could see what road this conversation was head down from a mile away. Despite that, Qrow smiled down at her wryly. “Alright, you've got my undivided attention, Rose. Better make it quick, though. There's a line forming for my invaluable and highly sought after advice.”

Summer smiled back at him, only sadder, one that didn't reach her eyes and betrayed her displays of love and affection all through that night. “I wanted...needed to let you know something.” She swallowed, a sign of reluctance and insecurity, two things that rarely described the perky woman.

“I know, I'm not Raven. I never can be and I'm second choice at best, but-”

Qrow immediately didn't want to hear this. “Shut up, Summer.” He wasn't about to let her demean herself by drawing comparisons to Raven, especially not on her wedding day.

“Okay, maybe not the best choice of words, but just hear me out.” Summer continued on, ignoring Qrow's disapproving stare. “I wanted this to be your sister's wedding almost as much as you did, Qrow. She was- _is_ my best friend...I would have gladly given up Taiyang if it meant she'd be happy, you know that, right?”

A curt nod was her reply, curious garnet eyes focusing on her face as she explained herself, although unnecessarily. He _did_ know how hard Summer took it when her best friend essentially betrayed them all, and admittedly, part of him felt guilty for that. Maybe if he hadn't all but forced his sister into keeping the baby a year ago, this entire situation would-

_No. Don't think like that. Yang is one of the best things that's ever happened in your life, much less Taiyang's and now Summer's._ He wouldn't trade one happiness for the miniscule possibility of another.

“Sum, my sister made her own choice. I've made peace with that fact, and you should, too.” He squeezed her hand in his reassuringly, showing he meant no ill will towards her, if that wasn't already obvious. “This is _your_ day. Don't let it get bogged down by things we can't change.”

The graceful huntress smiled gratuitously, albeit a tad forlorn still. “I have, believe me...and I think Tai has, too...but I just wanted you to hear this from me because I know how close protective you are over Yang...I'm not Raven. I'm not her biological mom, but I love that little ray of sunshine with every fiber of my being.”

_Yeah, all hundred and fifteen pounds of you,_ he thought with a mental smirk.

Her silver eyes steeled, meeting his with an iron resolve. “I'm gonna make sure she knows a mother's love.” Ah, there was that fierce nature of hers poking through again. The darker haired partner placed a platonic peck on her cheek.

“I know you will Summer. You already do. And that's all I could ask for my niece.” Truth be told, the benevolent woman had always been the maternal type, better suited for a motherly position than his twin ever had been. Not that he didn't think Raven still couldn't have at least made an _attempt..._ but his niece was fortunate that her father had managed to score the Rose woman.

Summer released a sigh, relieved to have that off her chest. “Another thing...I haven't brought the matter up to Tai before, but...I think we should all tell Yang about Raven, as soon as she's able to comprehend it.”

“You...do?” She _wanted_ Yang to know about her biological mother's abandonment...?

His reply was a nod of affirmation. “Despite everything, she still deserves to know. I want Yang to hear about her real mom, about all her heroism and strength, all the good times we shared as STRQ. Raven isn't and never has been the enemy. She's our teammate, our beloved friend, and your sister. We can't just erase her from our lives. I won't allow it..I'm sure Taiyang feels the same.” She _hoped_.

To say he was moved was an understatement. Far below the surface, the elder Branwen had always assumed that his other two mates harbored resentment and animosity toward his sibling. Deep down, Qrow had feared that they would do everything in their power to rid their memory of Raven's existence for her actions. To hear that at least one of them propose the exact opposite of that concern...it was an unexpected weight lifted from his shoulders.

Inhaling a long and steady breath, Qrow closed his lids briefly, gathering his thoughts. “You don't realize how happy I am to hear that, Summer...Honest to Oum.”

The dance ended as his words did, the two friends sharing a a brief hug of understanding, before a booming voice interrupted the moment.

“I'm gone for five minutes and you're already stealing away my beloved, huh? You got some nerve, ya dirty bastard.”

Summer fixed her husband with a look of distaste. “Language, mister,” she warned, releasing her hold on Qrow who simply slicked back a piece of his bangs that had been combed back for the occasion, smirking cockily.

“She's too good for you, anyway. Thought she might enjoy the company of someone more up to her speed, am I right?” His smug retort was met with an undignified snort from the flaxen haired giant.

Yang, who was still being held by her father, greeted her uncle with a grin, waving her pudgy arms about. “Caw!”

Qrow shrugged. “Well, at least she thinks so. And she's the prettiest girl in the entire joint, so I win, big guy. No offense, Rose.” Summer rolled her eyes in frustration at the males' childish antics.

Taiyang gave his daughter an exasperated stare, mumbling quick words about being a traitor, before smiling back at the duo. “Trade ya partners?”

Qrow unceremoniously shoved Summer towards the tanned huntsman, signature smirk in place. “Sure thing. I don't mind stealing both of your women's hearts.”

The small child was placed at his feet as the newlyweds twirled their way back out onto the middle of the floor. Now empty hands placed in his pockets, Qrow glanced down at the blonde who stood no taller than two and a half feet in mild interest, addressing her with a small upward nod of his head.

“So...you a friend of the bride?”

If Yang caught on to his joking air, her blank stare betrayed nothing.

“Groom's side. Got it...you single?”

“Up!” Short arms extended upwards, signaling her desire to be held. Removing his hands, he surrendered them to her, picking her up only a couple inches and letting her stand on his toes instead, holding her wrists firmly.

“Lucky for you, I know how to treat a lady to a good time.”

And so their slow dance began, with Qrow stepping from one side to the other cautiously, balancing the jubilant toddler on his feet, not minding in the least all the attention her excited giggles were drawing from other party goers.

One such pair of observant eyes belonged to Taiyang. Peering over his much shorter dancing partner's head, he could easily spectate on his daughter's waltz with his best friend, feeling a familiar tightening in his chest. With every minute that passed that night, he could feel the cavity swell more and more with love and excitement for his new future, with his new wife, the love of his life.

For the first time since his split with _her_ , everything in his life felt...right? Yeah, that was it. He was FINALLY doing things right. He now had a proper wife, who loved him wholeheartedly for who he was and would never leave his side or try to degrade him...would never burn him the way _she_ had. This was his do-over, his second chance at having a real family. And Yang would get to carry over into it, be a part of something much more wonderful than he could have ever imagined with _her._

This was Yang's new life. Summer Rose was her new mother. Selfish as it sounded, he fully intended on keeping _that woman's_ real identity hidden from his daughter, letting his bitter memory of her rot in their past, no intention of dragging her into their future.

_She would never have to know about the woman who had forsaken the both of them._

 


	6. Chapter 6

“Tai, dear, I wish you wouldn't do that.”

“Aw, c'mon. This is nothing. See?”

“I just think you're playing too rough. You could do some serious damage without even realizing it. A child's skeletal structure is extremely susceptible to injury during their earliest years and-”

“Nonsense! She's a Xiao Long. Durability runs through our blood.”

“She's two.”

“And a half...”

Qrow rolled his eyes from his position on the living room floor of the Xiao Long-Rose household. Sprawled out on his side, head in hand, he observed the toddler 'sparring' match that had sparked Summer's maternal alarm system.

Taiyang sat back on his haunches in front of his daughter, who's stubby arms extended outward, palms out to receive blow after blow her father hurled at her, squealing wildly. Occasionally, Tai would send one her way that was too powerful for her tiny frame to handle, landing her flat on her bottom. With each fall, she stood back up more determined than the last, the tiny crease between her brows growing.

“Daddy, go again!”

“You want some more, pipsqueak? Well, get a load of this!”

While he didn't see the harm in letting the natural born brawler have some fun with his daughter, Qrow wisely kept his mouth shut, lest he be on the receiving end of his wife's worrisome tirade. There was no real danger involved and besides, Yang seemed to be enjoying herself.

_Thump. Crash!_

That last slug had proven to be Tai's personal best, exponentially harder than any of his previous as Yang not only flopped backwards, but her head smacked into the solid wood of the coffee table behind her. Taiyang's eye's went wide, too stunned to react properly. Qrow pushed himself up in an attempt to reach the still startled two year old, but Summer was quicker. She hoisted Yang back up to a sitting position and all three adults in the room went stock-still, awaiting the inevitable mother of all meltdowns...but none came. She was just sitting there with a fierce frown on her face, but no tears.

“Yang...Sunshine?” Summer tried, exchanging a look with her husband who simply shrugged in confusion.

Yang pushed herself to her feet, marching right up to her father. For a split second, Tai swore he saw her irises flash red, but he was quick to write that off as nothing more than her uncanny resemblance to Raven.

Taiyang grinned and opened his arms, prepared to envelope his child in a bear hug and beg for her forgiveness. Imagine his surprise, as well as the other two, when she didn't cling to him as expected, but instead delivered a blow to his face so forceful that his head snapped to the side.

“Son of a bitch!” Taiyang nursed his damaged cheek while staring incredulously at his offspring. No toddler should be able to hit that hard. It was physically impossible!

Summer squeaked, rushing to his side in a heartbeat, pulling his nursing hand away and checking for signs that Yang had inexplicably broken anything.

Meanwhile, Qrow doubled over in laughter beside the injured man, bracing himself against the carpeted floor with one hand, fighting back tears. “H-hey big guy...still...still think...you Xiao Longs are so durable?”

His laughter only increased when Yang huffed, plopping down on the floor, still wearing that adorable pout. “Not nice. Daddy was very mean.”

**. . . . . . . . . .**

Not long after that fiasco, the gang had decided to unlock Yang's aura. They couldn't be one hundred percent certain, but all three strongly suspected the toddler's quick bout of anger and subsequent strength enhancement was an early sign of her semblance bubbling to the surface. Better to be prepared, safe rather than sorry, should she get into another altercation later on with something or someone who would hit her back.

That being said, pretty much everything they owned had to be Yang-proofed, given her heavy hand and innate strength. Any and all glass in the house had to be kept out of her reach, vases removed, and glass dishes replaced with plastic just for her. Much of Summer's free time was spent sewing the wing of her step-daughter's favorite dragon plushie back on after too long a period of rough play, Tai being given the responsibility of reattaching doll heads and limbs, as well. Qrow even managed to find a box of specialty crayons and markers that wouldn't snap or wear down after five minutes of use.

Said coloring utensils were presently being forced into hard manual labor on a single sheet of paper at the coffee table Qrow rested his feet upon, eyes glued to his reading material, ogling the total babe that graced the glossy eight-by-eleven page he was currently flipped to.

Sleek and sexy design that no doubt required delicate handling, a true gentleman's touch, yet still durable enough to endure the roughest and longest of nights one could imagine. Was he drooling? Probably. But damn, did she have just the perfect curves in all the right places, enough to bring the proudest of men to their very knees. Oh baby, what he wouldn't give to take her out for a single night of debauchery, rub his hands up and down her spine, trace her curves with the slightest touch of his fingertips and bathe in her glow...yes, the new 'Infinite Reaper' was truly a goddess blade among peasants, one the master scythe wielder would kill to get his calloused mitts on. The busty broad modeling her wasn't too bad to look at either, he figured.

“Mommy!”

Huh?

Peeling his eyes off his issue of _Weapons Weekly_ , Qrow blinked owlishly at his niece who now sat beside him on the couch, holding something in her lap. At some point during his idle admiration, the near three year old had abandoned her masterpiece, silently climbed her way up, reached over the back of the couch, and plucked a a single framed photo the older huntsman actually kept on a low hanging shelf, the one taken of his team a few short months before graduation in the Beacon courtyard. Tiny fingers gripped the black metal frame.

“I found Mommy!” Yang smiled widely at him and kicked her feet around in excitement as if she had made the discovery of the century. She pointed aggressively at the short woman half-hidden behind a stark white hood, mindlessly bypassing the much taller raven-hair female depicted in the photo.

_Summer Rose_ .

“Yep. That's your mother, Wrecking Ball. Good eye.” Qrow smiled wryly as Yang went back to gazing longingly at her 'mommy'. Poor child still hadn't been told the truth about her real mother and never would, if her father had anything to say about it. Qrow's mood darkened considerably just remembering the first day that Yang had used the word, the fight that had ensued...

“ _Ma...ma!”_

_All eyes in the room flocked to Summer, who looked torn between pride and shame. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She'd always dreamed of one day holding her own child and hearing the sweet sound of that title aimed solely at her...but this wasn't how it was supposed to go. Yang wasn't her baby. And while her love for the small girl knew no end, she didn't want to Yang growing up with the misconception._

_Taiyang, on the other hand, was losing his mind._

“ _Did you hear that, Summer? Barely a month after the wedding and she's already picked up the word 'mama'!”_

_Qrow and Summer shared a look. Now or never._

“ _I did hear it, sweetheart, but I think it's time I tell you something...” Summer started, passing Yang off to her uncle, who gave her a reassuring nod. “Tai, we can't let her call me that..or mom, mommy, anything.”_

_Tai gaped like a fish out of water, clearly thrown for a loop. “What?! Why not? This is fantastic!”_

“ _It's not fair. Not to Yang...not to Raven.”_

_Something about her name seemed to flip a switch in the larger man. Bewilderment melted into realization, then rushed into anger. “'Not fair'? 'Not fair' is showing up at my door at an ungodly hour of the morning, crying and pleading with me not to let her go through with an abortion, keeping me from being happy with you, Summer. 'Not fair' is using me emotionally to get her way and then dumping all of her problems on me while she's off doing Oum only knows what. 'Not fair' is forcing me to have a child with a woman who never loved me. So forgive me if I'm not really concerned with what's 'fair' for Raven, okay?”_

_Qrow recognized the need to step in when he saw the first tear leak from Summer's eye. “Then, think about what's fair for Yang, Tai. The sooner you tell her about her real mother, the less emotional damage you'll have to deal with later on.”_

_Tai's fist clenched, but he kept his voice even. “I wouldn't worry about that, Qrow, because she's never going to find out. As far as she'll have to know, Summer is her mother.”_

_Summer shook her head, frowning angrily at her husband. “I will NOT lie to her. Not for her entire life. And like it or not, Raven is still my dearest friend. I'm not going to be used as a cover up just because there's bad blood between the two of you.”_

“ _Wake up, Summer! She doesn't think as highly of you as you do her. She doesn't care for any of us, not even her own brother. Raven got what she wanted from all of us, and then some.” Taiyang waved a hand out, motioning towards Yang, who was beginning to fidget in Qrow's arms. She didn't fully grasp the words flying between parties, but she could sense that something was amiss. Qrow narrowed his eyes at her father, but the blonde continued his tirade. “She decided she didn't want it, so she left me with the burden.” Qrow could feel his blood pressure rising. What kind of man talked about his own daughter so loosely, referring to her as 'it' and 'burden'. He was about to interject but Summer beat him to the punch._

“ _Taiyang Xiao Long, you are in the wrong here and you know it. Raven is our teammate, our friend and our family. She fought tooth and nail beside us, saved all of our asses at one time or another. Say what you want, but she's still out there, the Raven we all loved and cherished. Maybe she's going through something right now that she thinks we just couldn't understand, something she didn't want her daughter wrapped up in.”_

_Qrow shifted Yang to his other side, finding sudden interest in the brown leather sofa. Summer had no clue how spot on she was. She always had been intuitive, both in and out of combat. Taiyang spoke again, breaking his thoughts in a much calmer fashion._

“ _We don't know that. If you recall, she never said a word to anyone...and we all have to face the likelihood that she will_ never _come home...” With his voice back to normal levels, it was much easier to pick up on the hurt in his words. “this may not be the way I had planned to start a family with you, Summer, but it's what I have to work with. Yang needs a mother, not just a caretaker that daddy married. I may not have planned on having her, but she's still my daughter and my word is final when it comes to raising her. I know it seems callous to you two, but I genuinely believe this will be the smartest move...for her benefit. Not just mine.”_

'For her benefit'...sure. Tai was just so blinded by his own resentment, he was going to selfishly hurt his daughter by deceiving her for the entirety of her life.

Perhaps he should have thought it through, gave himself time to simmer down and let the flames of objection ebb away before taking action, but Qrow decided that the lies and deceit would end tonight. 

“Actually...y'know what, Firecracker? I'm gonna let you in on a lil' secret...”

Long blonde curls shook violently asYang's head whipped to face him, eyes wide, mouthing a perfect 'o' in anticipation. Qrow patted his lap, signaling for her to come in close and to bring the frame with her. Yang followed obediently, settling on his legs criss-cross applesauce and leaning against his chest as he reached around to hold the frame. He tapped the top of her head to grab her attention, looking at her intently.

“Listen carefully, okay? What I'm about to tell you is very, very important, Yang. I want you to tell me if you're having trouble understanding anything, alright?” Obviously, there would be some details that would slip by her, but the idea would not be incomprehensible. She was exceptionally perceptive for her short almost three years of age.

His serious nature seemed to convey well as Yang nodded, eyes equally as transfixed on her uncle. “Yes, Uncle Caw.”

Qrow nodded back, taking in a deep breath. How to say this tactfully...

“Yang... your parents, Taiyang and Summer love you very much. Your dad's been my best friend for years...but that doesn't mean we always agree on everything.” He started cautiously.

“Mommy doesn't always either, Uncle Caw.” Yang interjected, causing Qrow to smile.

“Well, this is one of the rare times me and her actually agree.” Just get to the point, he berated himself, but he couldn't bring himself to just rip the band-aid off for fear of hurting her. What was the simplest way to explain this to a child? “You see, Firecracker, Summer Rose loves you just like you were her own daughter, but we think you're old enough now to know the truth. Yang...do you know why your last name is different than her's?”

Her violet eyes darted around the room, as if she would find the answer scrawled across one of the white-washed walls. “Cause..Cause roses are flowers, and she's the prettiest flower ever?” she tried.

“Wow, and she's not even around to hear you kiss butt...”

“Language, mister.” Yang scrunched her face up and shook her finger at him accusingly.

Oh, Summer would just be beside herself with pride. “Right. Sorry, kid.” Qrow sighed, running his wiry fingers through her golden tresses. “Anyway, Summer's last name is Rose, but you have your dad's name, Xiao Long. That's because when you were born, he and Summer weren't married. They weren't even a couple.” Kinda. They flirted a lot, but he wasn't even gonna begin to try an explain that concept. “Your dad was with another woman at the time. Do you know who she was?”

Yang shook her head, a small crease between her brows, but she remained quiet, engrossed by his words. He took her silence for his cue to keep going.

“She was my sister. I've told you about her before, but very little.” Mostly in passing whenever he told her stories about he and her parents' days as Team STRQ. Qrow held the photo up, letting Yang place her finger on Raven's soft smile, a reflection of the very one that now graced his own features. He was doing the right thing by telling Yang, he thought looking down at the blonde carbon copy of his sister perched in his lap. There wasn't a doubt in his mind about it. “Right. That's Raven. Yang...that's your real mother.”

The crease in her forehead grew as Yang scrutinized her uncle. “I have...two mommies?” 

“No, Yang. Just one. Raven and your dad were together for a while, and then she had you. Now Summer's with him. Y'all are still a family, you just have what's called a step-mother.” He tried explaining, watching closely as his niece turned back to the picture and stared long and hard at who she had just learned to be her real mother. He assumed she understood, given her lack of questioning.

“She's pretty, just like ma- Summer.” Yang was quick to correct herself, confirming to Qrow that she understood. So far so good, if not a tad weird hearing his baby niece refer to her step-mother by her real name. 

Qrow's hand found her hair again, playing with her mane of wild ringlets.“Yup. You know what they say, 'like mother, like daughter.'”

Yang's head tilted in thought, still transfixed by the woman in the photograph. “How did she die?”

His hand froze.  _Shit._

“She's not dead, Firearm. She's still alive and kicking.” Just not hanging around to be a mother. This was gonna be a bit of a doozie to explain. 

Attention separated from the picture, Yang looked back up at her uncle with wide eyes. “Can I meet her, Uncle Caw?”

Oh boy. He was  _so_ royally fucked. “Well, it's not that simple. Raven doesn't exactly make herself easily found these days...” Yeah, that was a way of putting it.

“But she's your sister. Call her. Tell her I wanna meet her.”

Don't look in her eyes. Don't.

“Yang...Raven left right after you were born. I haven't spoken to her since.”

“Why?”

And there it was. The number one question they all had been searching aimlessly for an answer to, but had yet to find. How could he respond to her, when he wasn't sure himself?

“If she's my mommy, why did she leave?” There was no real emotion her tiny voice at least. She was too young to feel the sting of abandonment, he hoped desperately.

“Firecracker...I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't...” Change of subject. “But I can tell you this. Your mother is an incredibly strong woman who held a lot of weight on her shoulders. She had a lot to deal with at the time you were born. Don't think for a second that she didn't want you, okay? No matter what anyone tells you, even your father.” Oh, he was in for a world of hurt when Tai found out about this little 'weekend with Uncle Caw'. “Your mother left because she had to...to keep you safe.” A bit of a stretch, but based off the few conversations he'd had with his twin before her departure, it was a plausible assumption.

If Yang had any qualms with his explanation, she didn't vocalize them. She simply nodded, an ever so slight pout on her lips, and went back to staring at the photograph.

**. . . . . . . . . .**

It was a late evening in June when the announcement was made, right after Yang's third birthday party. Cone shaped hat adorning her golden crown, Yang sat in Summer's lap in their oversized rocker, snapping the elastic string that secured her party hat against her face over and over, leaving a tin red line on her cheek.

Qrow snorted. “I think that hat's been on too tight all day, cutting off circulation to her brain. Or maybe she just really takes after you, Tai.”

Taiyang didn't retort. He was giving Summer a goofy smile, which she returned almost bashfully. Something was definitely up, but he was almost afraid to ask. “Okay. Talk, one of you or both. What's up with the lovesick googly eyes...”

Another look exchanged between spouses. Summer spoke first, smirking at Qrow. “I'm four weeks pregnant.”

Well, it was bound to happen at some point or another. “Please, spare me the details of the conception. I don't wanna think about you two getting freaky four weeks ago.”

Summer laughed, expecting no less of a reaction from the sarcastic scythe master. Yang sat up, looking between the adults in the room. “What does p-p..pregnant mean? Is it bad?”

“It means your parents were going at each other in the-” Taiyang threw his heavy arm directly into his gut, effectively cutting off Qrow's rude commentary.

“It means you're going to be a big sister, Sunshine!”

Her face lit up brighter than the sun. “I'm gonna be a step-sister!”

Qrow tensed. Summer's jaw slackened, glancing over at the two men. Tai pointed his furious sapphires at his best friend.

“Technically...you're gonna be a...half...sister...too late to offer a congrats, big guy?”

Oh yeah, he was gonna get it.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***need to note that there has been a slight edit to chapter one that I would recommend skimming through. It's nothing major in terms of a rewrite, but it does alter the plot a teensy bit. If you don't feel like doing so, I'll just go ahead and give you the 411.   
> For sake of plot, namely Raven's mysterious agenda, she did not name Yang. Tai did while she slept, and Raven vanished before ever bothering to learn her name. Easier to distance yourself from something emotionally if you never give it a name, right? Once you name it, it all goes to shit. Your goose is cooked.  
> So, yeah. Yay edit.

_**All is well on Patch.** _

Is that so?

Raven folded and refolded the note in her gloved hands, debating on whether or not to toss the useless scrap in the flames before her, knowing fully well that she would not.

Back home-Scratch that. There was no  _home._ She had no need for one.

_Back in Vale..._ the weather was warm, no doubt, even for a night such as this, but here on the northernmost tip of Atlas, the atmosphere was frigid year round. She liked it that way. The heat was her enemy. The sun and everything associated with it utterly repulsed the rogue ex-huntress.  _Summer had been the beginning of her slip in sanity, the very bane of her existence._

No matter what hemisphere one rested upon, the sun remained a magnificent hue of yellow.

Yellow.

Flashes of gold burnt into her memories, memories that she had been trying so fiercely to eradicate.

Gold was the color of her old flame, a flame that she found herself drawn to, found comfort in, but like all good things, had to let die out. Dare to get too close to a brilliant fire and expect to be burned, isn't that what wise old men say? Well, burned she had been, despite her best efforts. She had gone and fallen in love with a man, pushed him away and into the arms of another, and there was no going back from that. A scar she would carry with her as a lesson learned for all her days: _Don't get too close._

Gold was the shade of glorious luster that adorned her daughter's crown, passed down from the lion of a man she had made far too grave of a mistake with. Gold was the life she had given birth to and abandoned almost immediately, for both of their sakes.

Her name...had she ever been given one? How inconceivable for a mother not to know her own child's name. Of course, she hadn't exactly stuck around long enough to learn it. What her brother must think of her...

Reminiscing finished, Raven scoffed, folding the parchment back to its original shape, stuffing it down to the deepest depths of her pack, buried with the rest of the vague notes she'd acquired over the past three years. At least her correspondent had been courteous enough to carry out her request.

“ _As little information as deemed necessary. Names and other specifications are out of the question.”_

She need not know more than the health of those she left behind. It was for the better this way.

**. . . . . . . . . .**

“ **...I will burn like the sun and keep you safe and warm!”**

Yang rocked excitedly against Summer, both girls lying against her headboard, the younger of the two dressed her pajamas, teeth brushed and ready for bed, but not before an impromptu sing-along; one of her favorites, a song that Summer had taught her. The older woman's chime-like voice carried out the next piece of their duet.

“ **Like the smell of a rose on a summer's day,**

**I will be there to take all your fears away,**

**With the touch of a hand,**

**I will turn your life to...”**

Summer tapped her step daughter's nose, indicating her to chime in on the last word.

“ **Gold!”**

Yang held the note as long as her small lungs would allow. At the foot of the bed sat her father, joining in with his own solo. Given his large frame, one might expect the barrel chested man's voice to be deep and booming, but to the surprise of many people he spoke to for the first time, his voice was actually much lighter, often cheery and optimistic.

“ **Don't worry, I've got you  
Nothing will ever harm you  
I'm close by, I'll stay here  
Through all things I will be near...”**

Tai's rich tenor faded out and all eyes shift towards the doorway where the missing piece of their ensemble stood, leaned against the frame, arms crossed and brooding. Violet irises blinked expectantly, eyelashes batting at her uncle to finish the verse. With a sigh of defeat, because honestly how could he deny those puppy eyes, Qrow reluctantly crooned out the words she was waiting for.

“ **Close your eyes, don't you cry**

**Love's around you, in time you'll fly...”**

The lyrics were flat, and not simply because the scythe master couldn't carry a tune to save his life, but because he simply did not feel the cheer and love that the rest of the band was feeling. How could he after everything that had transpired over the past couple of weeks.

His half-assed solo was accepted by the little girl who gladly finished the song, ending in a storm of giggles, curling against Summer Rose, a tiny hand on her tummy. 

“Mama...is it a boy or girl?”

“Well, the doctors say it's still a little too early to tell, but I'm willing to bet my trusty hood that it's a girl.”

“Good. I wanna be a big sister and not a brother.”

Tai shook his head at his daughter's confusion. “Either way, you'll be a big sister. A _full_ sister, got it, Yang?” A look of contest was thrown over his shoulder at Qrow, daring him to challenge his words. The thinner man narrowed his eyes, but didn't offer a verbal rebuttal. “Qrow had too much of his...special drink when he told you what he did. It's okay, though. We all make mistakes.”

“Got it.” Yang nodded eagerly, throwing her own displeased glare at her uncle, burrowing deeper in her mother's hold. “Uncle Caw, liars are bad...but I still love you.”

Qrow wanted to scream, hurl insults at his friends for their cowardice and using his questionable drinking habits as a scapegoat, a means for deceiving the three year old, but he wasn't going to give in to those urges. Not in front of her. Didn't mean he had to stick around for the fool's show, though.

“Yeah, well, lying runs in the family, Firecracker. Just ask your parents one day when your older, if they're not through with their little sham by then, that is.” Qrow ignored the look that promised death if he continued coming from his best friend, choosing to stare a hole into Summer instead; a stare that said 'this is wrong and you know it'. The petite woman chewed on her lip guiltily, returning her attention to stroke Yang's hair.

Qrow shook his head, not understanding. He had been counting on Summer Rose to be his back-up. She had been the one to originally suggest telling Yang the truth and had seemed so adamant about it. How quickly her tune had changed after Taiyang's outburst. Sure, she may want to keep her husband happy, and sure, Yang wasn't technically her own flesh and blood, but she _knows_ that continuing this charade would come back to haunt them. Taiyang was digging himself a hole and now Summer had picked up a shovel of her own to help him.

Qrow needed space from all the bullshit, as he saw it, and thankfully, his work had kept him pretty busy. Although, this new mission from Ozpin...he shook the thought from his mind.

“Anyway, I'll see you bright and early, Yang-arang. G'night, kiddo.”

“Night night, Uncle Caw!” Yang blew her uncle a kiss before he disappeared from her room, blowing one to her dad who followed after Qrow.

The night air was warm, remnant's of summer still lingering in the atmosphere. Despite the season, Qrow felt a winter's chill run down his spine as he stepped out onto the porch, his skin prickling with goosebumps. Solemnly, he wondered if his twin was someplace cooler, finding no other explanation for his change in body temperature.

Raven...would he encounter her with this new task he'd been given? Qrow reached for his flask, a much less flashier one than the one his sister had gifted him, the one that still collected dust on his counter top. Best not to hope.

“Some sing-along that was. I thought birds were supposed to be _good_ at singing.” Great. Taiyang had followed him out of the house. “Although, Yang's pretty tone deaf, too. Must get it from you.”

The embittered huntsman was not in the mood for friendly jabs. “Forgive me for not feeling the excitement in robbing my baby niece of her right to know the truth.”

Tai's smile faded. “I'm not going to have this argument with you anymore, Qrow.”

“Tch, yeah. Not if I wanna see my own family, isn't that right?” Another swig of his whiskey.

The larger man was trying to keep his temper at bay. “Qrow, please...I'm trying my best.”

“You gave me a fucking ultimatum! Something along the lines of 'if you can't lie to her, stay the hell away from her', wasn't that it?” Qrow threw his arm forward, finger and flask both pointed in the accused's face, sloshing liquor on his front. Tai stared at the stain in contempt, placing a large hand on Qrow's wrist, lowering the offensive object form his face.

“I'm sorry, but if you can't support my decision as her fathe-”

“Don't worry about it, _brother._ ” The term he once used with sincerity for his best friend now spewed from his mouth as if it were laced with arsenic. “I'll be out of your hair and this little act by tomorrow. You won't have to stress about me ringing anymore bells and telling your daughter what she deserves to know for a long, long time...” The anger was still present, but Qrow's volume had simmered down significantly, the weight of his words' meaning finally striking a chord. He was about to be away from the only family he had left for Oum only knows how long, should he ever make it back.

The change in tone rung resoundingly through Taiyang, his visage of irritation shifting into concern. “Qrow, what are you talking about?” When the thinner man did not respond for a while, Tai stepped forward. “What kind of mission did you take?”

A sigh. “Ozpin needs my help with...something.”

_One week prior..._

_Familiar cogs and clockwork greeted the raven haired warrior upon reaching the top floor of Beacon Tower. As he started his walk towards the lone desk across the room, Qrow recounted the various occasions he'd been privy to the honor of standing in this hall of emerald and jade. More often than not, the members of STRQ had been formally escorted by an instructor after having found themselves in some juvenile predicament that required reprimanding. As time passed and Qrow and his teammates outgrew such childish antics and started to take up serious huntsman personas, their talent and efforts had been recognized by the headmaster. Specifically, Ozpin and the scythe-wielder had formed somewhat of a strong mentor and student bond._

_Above all, though, the most poignant memory he had of the grand office had been the night Raven had been informed of her status as a maiden. Qrow had been the first to sense something was a miss with his twin. Not only had her physical strength and power seemed to increase to new levels, but so had her anxiety and stress. Recognizing that something out of the ordinary was occurring, he dragged her to the only man he knew with the kind of knowledge and experience to aid his sister. That had been the mother of all visitations._

_Now, nearly eight years later, Qrow still felt a hint of uneasiness. Ozpin and he had retained their friendship, Qrow being a high ranking huntsman that often worked closely alongside the academy's leader. He'd even go as far to say that he was the most trusted man Oz had, at the risk of sounding arrogant. But being in this office often entailed trouble. Qrow was a magnet for trouble._

“ _Qrow...Thank you for taking the time to meet up with an old soul such as my self. I do hope your trip was pleasantly...uneventful.” The large chair seated behind the desk swiveled around to reveal the aging headmaster who wore a cordial expression._

“ _Drop the formalities, Oz. It's just us friends.” Qrow took the seat placed in front of the professor, turning it around to lean his forearms across the back. “Heh, you say you're an old soul? I'm starting to feel more and more like a dusty old crow with each step I take around here.”_

_Ozpin's posture relaxed, sitting back further in his chair. “Indeed, it is. How does it feel, being back at the academy after so long? Doesn't it feel like it was just yesterday that you and your team graduated with the highest marks ever received from our institution?” The older man offered him a pensive gaze. Ozpin was well aware of Team STRQ's trials and tribulations of the past few years, having kept in close contact with most of it's members since their time at Beacon. He was also aware of how...touchy of a subject it could be. Ozpin did not wish to upset his guest in any way, but he would present the opportunity to discuss if he so needed._

_Qrow rubbed the back of his neck, mind replaying the last four years of his life in a flash of memories. “Yeah...something like that. So...” He focused his eyes on the gray haired man, noticing his own reflecting in the headmaster's spectacles. Skepticism was written all over his face. “...the real reason you had me travel all this way to meet in private...it ain't just so we could go over good times, is it?”_

_The time for pleasantries was over it seemed, judging by Ozpin's drop in face. He usually wore such a damn good poker face. Whatever was up, it must be something near cataclysmic to work over the stoic professor. Fabulous._

“ _No, Qrow. I'm afraid it is not.” The headmaster sighed, taking a drag from his mug. He set the porcelain cup back on the glass top of his desk, eyes lingering on the cogs that turned beneath for a brief second before settling back on his former student's taught face. “Tell me, Qrow, what is your favorite fairytale?”_

_Not this again._

“ _Oz...I heard this spiel back when Raven was...discovered.” His eyes narrowed in suspicion, trying to catch the old man's angle. “I get it. There's magic and four mystical fairy ladies running around Remnant. Why, I'll never understand, but it's real. My sister's proof. You don't have to convince me, but I would advise you to cut to the chase.” Qrow held a great deal of respect for Ozpin, but his patience was also wearing thin. Recent events back on Patch with his headache of a former team had made sure of that._

_If the aging huntsman took any offense to his colleagues brevity, he did not show it. “Interesting...you mention that you'll never understand why it is that the maidens exist, yet you claim to remember the tale so well. So, tell me again, Qrow, who gave the four women such power?”_

_Good ol' Oz, always ready to knock me back down whenever I get too big for my britches._

_With a grunt of mild irritation, Qrow answered. “The wizard. To return the favor of their kindness.” Didn't explain why there was any need for special powers in the first place._

“ _Correct. Do you find it odd that none of the recounts of this story ever mention what happened to the wizard? Or why he was shut up in solitude to begin with?” Ozpin leaned forward on his desk, with his hands folded before his face, studying Qrow for a reaction. “Is it unreasonable to think that the old man could still be alive this very day?”_

“So...it's a long term assignment...”

“Couple months at best. A year at worst.”

“And you're just now telling me this...”

“We haven't exactly been on the friendliest of terms, big guy.”

Taiyang ran a tired hand down his face, taking in this new information. “I get it, we're the best huntsman Oz has, but this is sounding like a dead end suicide mission, Qrow. I mean, just because you don't have a wife and kids doesn’t mean you don't a family,” he argued, referencing himself, Summer, and Yang. Despite their current differences and inability to see eye to eye, Qrow was still a brother to him, as well as Summer, not to mention Yang's favorite person, though the golden haired hunter hated to admit it.

“And it's because of you all that I'm even more determined to see this through. Whatever storm is brewing out there, it's gonna be huge, Tai. And to make matters worse...” Qrow lowered his voice. “...Raven is involved somehow. You may hate her very existence, but she's still my blood.”

The mention of her name caused Tai to bristle slightly, but he shook it. There would be no talking sense into his friend. The Branwens were infamously stubborn. The most Taiyang could do was let him go and pray to Oum that his brother returned home safely, preferably before his second-born made his or her way into this world.

“You promised Yang you'd come by tomorrow.”

“And I will. I'll say my goodbyes tomorrow.”

**. . . . . . . . . .**

The news of Qrow's departure came as a shock to Summer Rose, whose husband decided to tell her last night after she finally got their excitable three year old to settle down for the night. And with so little information about the mission as a whole...to say she was worried was an understatement. One Branwen MIA was enough. Summer was barely able to keep her fragile little emotions in check as it was.

And now, standing aside and having to watch her adopted daughter say goodbye to her hero. Oh, the tears were coming alright. Stay strong, Sum. If Yang sees you have a meltdown, she's gonna panic, and then Tai will lose his marbles, and Qrow will be distracted on duty and NEVER comeback to them!

“Summer...you, uh, okay? I mean, you're smiling but your left eye is doing that creepy twitchy thing...”

Act natural.

“Huh? Oh, yeah! Psh, no worries here. I am totally fiiiine.” She waved off her long-time friend's concern with a hand, wearing an air of false confidence.

Both men in the room stared at their awkward companion who grinned back, rubbing her head lightly.

“Uncle Caw...you'll be home for the baby, right? You gotta play with her and give her cookies like you do with me.” Yang tugged on her uncle's pant leg with a concerned frown.

Oh sweet Oum, this was just too much for the emotional huntress.

Qrow dropped down to her level, wearing a serious expression. “I'm not gonna lie to you, Firearm. I dunno if I'll get home in time to meet the new baby. I'll be out for quite some time.”

Christ on a cracker, just tear her tiny toddler heart out why don't you, Qrow! Summer tensed internally, ready to break down with her daughter after a speech like that, but as usual, the little spitfire was full of surprises. Her amethyst eyes didn't fill to the brim, her little pink lower lip didn't quiver, no noises of protest escaped her. In fact, all Yang did was nod and run off to her room.

That was it? Summer almost felt cheated. Why was she the only one in this household privy to sentimentality and raw emotion?!

Qrow prepared to stand back up, figuring that was as good of a farewell as he would receive from the temperamental child, but the pitter patter of light footsteps caused him to hault. Golden pigtails flying behind her, Yang reentered the room with her prized stuffed dragon. The adults exchanged glances, wondering where she would go with this. You never knew with a kid like Yang.

The sound of a tear filled the silence. Summer wasn't sure whether the noise came from the wing her step-daughter had just detached or from her heartstrings finally giving out.

Yang extended the flimsy golden appendage outward to her uncle who accepted it in confusion, but graciously.

“Now, you have to come home...so Mama can fix him.”

Qrow crushed his small niece to him, allowing himself to be vulnerable for her.

“I'm coming back, don't you worry.”

There was a sniffle. Aha! Someone else was losing it, too. Not Yang...not Qrow...that only left...

Sure enough, the other blonde Xiao Long wiped an arm across his eyes. Oh, how the mighty have fallen, Summer thought triumphantly, dabbing at her own eyes.

**. . . . . . . . . .**

This was good for her. It would teach her independence.

_Keep telling yourself that._

Yang couldn't depend on him to always be around. The life of a huntsman didn't permit it. No tomorrow was a given.

_Awfully early for her to learn that lesson, don't you think? Her mother already abandoned her. Carrying on the tradition, I see._

She has her parents. And a new brother or sister on the way. She has plenty of family who love her.

_Parent's so loving they deceive her. A father so wrapped up in his new **real** family that he'll probably forget all about her._

Qrow shot off into the sky, allowing the sound of the wind whipping around and through his feathers to drown out the voices of his doubts. This was going to be a long mission.

 


End file.
